I would like to move to Taiwan and stay on as a resident if possible. I have looked at the possibility of teaching English, but I would prefer to study Chinese and have the option of choosing where I live.
It seems that one can change their study Visa to a resident Visa after 4 months.
How long before it is possible to apply for permanent resident status?
Your time on any type of student visa or visa free doesn’t count towards APRC.
Thank you.
Can I look for work while I am studying and then change Visas if I find something?
I have a small income, so I really didn’t want to work if I could play. 
Do a search for student work permits. Short version: it’s possible, but there are restrictions.
After 120d stay, you can get an ARC for study purpose. If you find a job and get a work permit, what you should change is the purpose of ARC. I’m assuming you withdraw from the school when you find a job. If you intend to work while you study, the answer is @yyy’s reply.
Thank you yyy and tando. I think that clears up my confusion. I am also looking for work before arriving, but I wasn’t clear on the student ARC. I will focus on finding work before arriving if possible.
Cheers!
Someone else might know better than me about this, but I think if you switch from a work ARC to a study ARC, your 5 year counter for APRC purposes gets reset.
Thank you. I don’t think I will mess about once I find work. I might start out studying, but once working I would rather get the APRC finalized.