I was born in 1979 in the U.S (U.S citizen), parents are/were both I.D card holders, and I lived in Taiwan when I was young. I was registered in the “Hu ji” when I lived there (5 years). Now that I’ve graduated from college, I want to go back to Taiwan to work.
My field is the finance field, progressing to become a CFA/Analyst/Portfolio Mgr. I have 1 year of private equity analyst work, which is non executive.
Of all possible fields in Taiwan I could possibly work in, they are:
Finance / Accounting / Consulting / Other Business
Broadcasting
Teaching English
Those are my preferences in order as well. Now my questions are:
Can I somehow get a Taiwan permanent residency status without getting drafted? I understand I can get Type 2 (Overseas Chinese Passport), but doesn’t this do me no good since I can’t legally work in Taiwan with this status?
If I enter using an American passport, how hard is it to get hired in the Business industry (non teaching English)? Is it even possible? Again, please refer to my preferences in industry above. I’ve already gotten interview opportunties but am unsure of how I should approach my work status before I enter Taiwan.
I understand it’s no problem entering with an American passport to teach English, since the VISA is easily sponsored. I was thinking about doing this part time before I start “real” work (if possible). Should I still try to get sponsored as a foreigner?
Thanks in advance! I really really appreciate any responses.
Where are you in the USA? Are you near Washington, D.C.? If so I might be able to point you to some US government agencies which could answer your questions.
I’m in the San Francisco area. I just went to the Taipei Culture/Economic Affairs (Psuedo-Consulate) and asked about this situation and they pointed me to call Taiwan’s various departments directly. All the consulate knows is if I qualify for ROC passports/Visas, but qualification is not the issue to me since I know I’m qualified . . . . . . .
I plan on coming as early as April 2003, since Citibank wants me for an interview and I don’t want to make them wait. My dilemma is I’m not sure which passport to enter Taiwan with, and if this will affect my hiring process. If I enter with my American passport, can they say “You’re an American citizen, and we can’t sponsor you for Alien Residence for this work” ?? If I enter with a Chinese or Overseas Chinese passport, then I may get drafted. I’ve read on this forum as well as Oriented.org and have concluded that the Overseas Chinese passport is of no use to me, since I don’t have rights to work if I enter with that passport.
Can I teach english and get alien residence through this channel, then get hired in my industry using the same alien residence?
Your ARC is specific to your place of employment. If you get it you are only legally allowed to work for the company/buxiban that applied for it. If you worked elsewhere you could legally be deported. As a matter of course, this is often not the case in Taiwan, as people often work illegally. What I wonder, however, is will a company such as Citizbank flagrantly violate the law. I don’t think so.
In addition, if you want to get an ARC through them directly it is my understanding that, similar to the US, they would have to demonstrate that you possess skills and knowledge that cannot be provided by local Taiwanese. This might be a difficult proposition as the government would most likely tend to favor hiring Taiwanese over a foreigner. Of course if you use your Taiwanese passport you might have to shine your boots.
[quote=“Hartzell”]Can’t the TECRO office in S.F. provide you with authoritative answers to your questions?
What does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pay those people to do anyway?[/quote]
Already went and it had been useless initially. I had to search online, bring them the law to their face, call Taiwan’s various offices, etc and now they’re finally doing something for me.
It’s finally being processed now though, although I still have to get a few documents from Taiwan’s various offices directly to be sent here. I swear they should have everything computerized by now in the information age, but I guess the govt is slow to catch up.
Yes . . . . . and I have been helping other people get authoritative answers too, for nearly ten years.
It is often a difficult process.
But this is exactly the point #1 . . . . . . the Taiwanese government officials are incompetent, and to a great degree this is due to the fact that there is no coordination between departments.
And now I will make point #2, and that is for we foreigners, we have to play it relatively cool, calm, and collected. But for you ROC passport holding citizens, you should yell and scream until they give you the CORRECT INFORMATION . . . . . . and you should put them UNDER PRESSURE TO DO THEIR JOB.
Otherwise, you won’t see any improvements for another 5000 years . . . . . . .
He’s an American seeking to come and work in Taiwan. He’s not an ROC passport holding citizen, unless he chooses to fulfil his obligations to his country and do his time in the military.
But if he had 5 years of residency previously doesn’t he qualify for an APRC?
Stupid question, but do big multinationals usually go to all the trouble of interviewing people from overseas without wondering whether they can legally employ them? I ask because I was offered a job a while back by someone who eventually realised that they were unable to hire me. Are Citibank more switched on and have a procedure for this? One would hope so.
This conversation started months ago. What was the outcome?
[quote=“tmwc”]He’s an American seeking to come and work in Taiwan. He’s not an ROC passport holding citizen, unless he chooses to fulfil his obligations to his country and do his time in the military.
But if he had 5 years of residency previously doesn’t he qualify for an APRC?[/quote]
Sorry . . . . you have zero knowledge of Taiwan immigration law. According to the MOI, if you qualify for citizenship you are a citizen. Hence, he is an ROC citizen. Whether or not he physically holds a passport makes little difference . . . . . . .
Since he is an ROC citizen, so he cannot get an APRC. That “permanent residency” status is reserved for foreigners.
I have limitedlegal and immigration knowledge (so Hartzell correct me if I am wrong), but couldnt he just do what the rest of the non-Taiwan community do and …
either enter on a 30 day thing or ‘visiting family’ to get here first
then look for a job
that said, my understanding (again Hartzell correct me if I am wrong) is you need 2 years relevant experience b4 they will issue an ARC?
Mixer, you seem to have a skill set that could get you a good non-English teaching role but I dont know how your 5 years living in Taiwan and the fact you only have a years relevant experience will impact on your ability to get an ARC.
[quote=“mixer”][quote=“Hartzell”]Can’t the TECRO office in S.F. provide you with authoritative answers to your questions?
What does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pay those people to do anyway?[/quote]
Already went and it had been useless initially. I had to search online, bring them the law to their face, call Taiwan’s various offices, etc and now they’re finally doing something for me.
It’s finally being processed now though, although I still have to get a few documents from Taiwan’s various offices directly to be sent here. I swear they should have everything computerized by now in the information age, but I guess the govt is slow to catch up.[/quote]
Take it from someone who has some experience in such matters. If you choose to come here through your US passport, the bank that wishes to hire you needs to show (which means you need to show) that you have had 2yrs in a similar or related field as the one they want you for. Otherwise if you have a MA degree or above in such or similar field may also make you elligible. This has its difficulties administratively. Also schools are very reluctant to hire asian looking english teacher, which means difficulty for you to get ARC through a school (yip racism against yourself in a country where everyone looks like you)
Using your Overseas Chinese Passport will get drafted… unless you leave the country and get a re-entry stamp every 4 months. Don’t apply for a ID card if you don’t have one, even though it (the ID card) means you can stay here indefinitely, it also means you WILL GET DRAFted for the military. This method is practiced by many in the same position, a moral dilema for some. Fortunately the Law is a bit gray in this area so its a possible route to take. Wont CitiBank give you ARC? Then your US passport is fine.
[quote=“mixer”][quote=“Hartzell”]Can’t the TECRO office in S.F. provide you with authoritative answers to your questions?
What does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pay those people to do anyway?[/quote]
Already went and it had been useless initially. I had to search online, bring them the law to their face, call Taiwan’s various offices, etc and now they’re finally doing something for me.
It’s finally being processed now though, although I still have to get a few documents from Taiwan’s various offices directly to be sent here. I swear they should have everything computerized by now in the information age, but I guess the gov’t is slow to catch up.[/quote]
I don’t think that it is simply a question of the government being slow to catch up. I think that former President Lee put it very well when he said that the “Republic of China does not exist.”
Your example clearly shows that the ROC government is essentially non-functioning.
Using your Overseas Chinese Passport will get drafted… unless you leave the country and get a re-entry stamp every 4 months. Don’t apply for a ID card if you don’t have one, even though it (the ID card) means you can stay here indefinitely, it also means you WILL GET DRAFted for the military. This method is practiced by many in the same position, a moral dilema for some. Fortunately the Law is a bit gray in this area so its a possible route to take.
I was born in Taiwan and left for the States when I was 8 years old. I have a Taiwanese ID number on my Taiwan Passport, but no ID card. I am currently working as an English teacher and I hold an ARC card.
If I have an ID number and an ARC card, will they be able to find me without a Taiwanese ID card? How will they be able to find me? Will I still have to serve the military if I stay for over 4 months without leaving the country?
My son, who is a dual citizen, decided to comeback to Taiwan under his US citizen status, because he elected not to serve in the military. He considered using his ROC citizenship and even met with a recruiter for the army. I think for a lot of men in your position that is the principle concern. I am sure if you wanted your Taiwanese citizenship, you could get it. I was told that I could become a citizen, but not without renouncing my American citizenship.
