Working and studying legally

Hi, I am moving to Taiwan soon, primarily to study. I want to study Mandarin and work around 20 hours a week to support myself. I want to stay for at least 2 years.

I’ve asked at my local teco about visas and it seems that there is no way to legally work and study at the same time. I am aware of the 3 month work, 3 month study visa but I don’t fancy this option at all. I’ve heard about degree students getting a work permit from their university but I will only be studying the language so don’t think I’m eligible. Is there any way I can get a visa that will allow me to work and study at the same time?

Also, if I got a visitor visa and started working or started studying, do they mark the visa to indicate if you’re a worker or a student? If not you could do both I imagine but I would rather be aboveboard.

Cheers for any advice.

See here: forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopi … ent#734186

And check the visa and residency thread. You might get more of a response there than in the restaurant thread… :wink:

If you get a work permit, no one cares if you study “on the side” or not. Although sometimes it’s best not to mention to your school that you’re working – at least for university programs. Language school might be okay – provided you’ve got the right work visa they shouldn’t care.

If you’re between 18 and 30, then as an Australian you should be eligable for a Working Holiday visa

immi.gov.au/media/media-rele … d04073.htm

If you have a job and a work permit there is nothing to stop you from studying in your free time. Shi-Da will happily accept your application even if you have a work permit and ARC from elsewhere.

The opposite situation – being a student and then trying to work legally – is a lot more difficult.

[quote=“JonnyComeLately”]If you’re between 18 and 30, then as an Australian you should be eligable for a Working Holiday visa

immi.gov.au/media/media-rele … d04073.htm[/quote]

Thanks but the working visa requires you to change from work to study every three months vice versa. I don’t want to interrupt my study or spend lots of time looking for new employers (you can’t have the same employer twice)

[quote=“wix”]If you have a job and a work permit there is nothing to stop you from studying in your free time. Shi-Da will happily accept your application even if you have a work permit and ARC from elsewhere.

The opposite situation – being a student and then trying to work legally – is a lot more difficult.[/quote]

Thanks, that’s exactly what i needed to know :slight_smile: Do you think Shi Da would confirm that if emailed them or will i just have to see how it goes when i get there?

If you want to apply to Shi-Da you should be aware of the semester dates and closing dates for applications. They are unlikely to accept you at all if you turn up in the middle of semester and hope to join a class.

Check the dates on their website: mtc.ntnu.edu.tw/

Well, if the OP is going to work (in terms of visa status), there are many options other than the MTC for Chinese study. And some of them might tend to be more flexible in terms of hours – which will be important if work is primary and the source of the visa to stay in Taiwan.

Check out the “Learning Chinese” forum archives for descriptions of various Chinese programs in Taipei and elsewhere.

Yeah i have been thinking about other universities, not too sure about trusting smaller organisations(will look up the forum).

The main issue is that if i have work visa in my passport which schools will accept me as a student? Is everyone like Shi Da, they don’t care? Also is there a time limit they will impose on you? I’ve heard that they may only let you study for one 3 month term on a working visa…

[quote=“Rey xiaojie”]Yeah I have been thinking about other universities, not too sure about trusting smaller organisations(will look up the forum).

The main issue is that if I have work visa in my passport which schools will accept me as a student? Is everyone like Shi-Da, they don’t care? Also is there a time limit they will impose on you? I’ve heard that they may only let you study for one 3 month term on a working visa…[/quote]

Yes they will accept anyone with a high school diploma into Shi-Da, it’s a business and more students=more cash. Had many friends who studied at Shi-Da for years on working visas.

In truth many people on student visas also work illegally on the side. If caught they will be deported, but since no one really cares about this apart from the occasional crack-down ‘for show’, the chances of this happening are very low.
Not suggesting you violate your visa conditions, but that is the situation ‘on the ground’ as I see it.