HOW TO FIND A JOB IN TAIWAN
Taiwan is an island state in the eastern part of Asia, located north of the Philippines and very close (150 km) east of China. It is washed by the waters of three Asian seas and the Pacific Ocean. Despite political differences with the People's Republic of China, the country's economy has been growing rapidly for the last few decades.
Along with Hong Kong, South Korea and Singapore, where the standard of living and economic growth are very high, Taiwan is one of the four so-called Asian Tigers. And China's own territorial claims do not particularly hinder the countries from building mutually beneficial trade relations.
Today Taiwan is considered one of the world leaders in high-tech production. The agricultural sector has not been a priority source of budget revenues for many years, although it is still important. The country is developing petrochemicals, metallurgy, machine building, textile industry, financial market, tourism and the services sector in general.
There will be jobs for foreigners in Taiwan in 2024 in almost every area mentioned above. In addition, the country receives a lot of foreign investment and there are many international companies. All this creates favorable conditions for employment in Taiwan, as discussed further in this article.
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Peculiarities of labor migration to Taiwan
Taiwan has a rather high standard of living and good wages. Most of the territory is under tropical and subtropical climate, from June to August there is a rainy season, typhoons occur quite often. The country has a beautiful nature with many unique nature reserves, hot springs and well maintained beaches.
Taiwanese people are very hospitable and friendly to foreigners. Thai cities are steeped in traditional Chinese culture, characterized by a modern style and developed infrastructure, not inferior to the successful Western countries.
Despite the good living conditions, working directly in Taiwan is fraught with a number of difficulties and legal restrictions, moreover, there are still many unresolved problems in the country. Taiwan's population in 2024 is about 23.9 million, with a labor force of about 11.6 million.
The local labor market is dominated by workers from other Asian countries, for whom the language barrier is not as significant. The official language in Taiwan is Putonghua (Chinese), and some other Chinese dialects are also common. Many Taiwanese are fluent in English, especially in business.
Low birth rate and as a consequence, aging of population can be specified as major problems of the country. Unemployment in Taiwan in 2024 does not exceed 4%, but among young people the figure is more than 12%. Diplomatic isolation and China's economic slowdown have an impact on the country's development rate.
How to go to work in Taiwan
To be successfully employed in Taiwan, an overseas applicant must meet the basic conditions of local employers:
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Higher education
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Experience
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Skill level (special skills)
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English proficiency
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Good health
These are the basic requirements for finding a job in Taiwan. For official employment, a foreigner must first obtain a work permit, which is issued by the Taiwan Labor Affairs Council (CLA). Employment without this document guarantees a large fine, deportation, and subsequent prohibition of employment in this country. The work permit is usually handled by the Thai employer, so the vacancy must be found before moving to Taiwan.
At the legislative level in Taiwan there is a list of jobs for which foreigners can count on in the first place. In other words, it's much easier to get a work permit.
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Holders of technical professions.
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Athletes and sports coaches.
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Managers of foreign companies.
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Representatives of the religious sphere and artists.
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School teachers and foreign language teachers.
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Employees of merchant ships.
Some foreign professionals do not need a work permit in Taiwan:
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Spouses of a permanent resident or citizen of Taiwan.
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Teachers, scholars and researchers for employment at accredited universities or government institutions in Taiwan.
The maximum validity period of the employment permit is 3 years, after which it can be renewed within 4 months. In the case of a change of workplace, the document is reissued. After obtaining the work permit, a work visa is obtained from the Taiwanese diplomatic office in your country. Then, the Resident Certificate (ARC), in other words, residence permit, is applied for in the Thai territory.
More information about the relocation procedure can be found on the official website of the National Immigration Agency of Taiwan – immigration.gov.tw
Working in Taiwan without intermediaries. Job Search.
First of all, you should not count on unskilled labor in Taiwan, there are more than enough people willing to find work in this area. The vast majority of local employers require fluent English, without this job search in Taiwan is very limited. Especially in large international companies. And this is where foreigners have the best chances for employment.
Many multinational corporations operating in Taiwan, the process of obtaining work permits for foreigners is greatly simplified, and sometimes even removed any restrictions. Jobs in Taiwan in such companies in 2024 are primarily related to the high-tech sector. Most of the branches are located in the country's major cities of Kaohsiung, Taichung, Xinzhu, and Taipei, the capital of Taiwan.
These cities have created special science parks in the country, grouped into three large sections. A large proportion of migrant workers with technical professions find jobs in Taiwan in these parks.
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Hsinchu Science Park
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Southern Taiwan Science Park
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Central Taiwan Science Park
The ideal option for a foreigner to find a job in Taiwan is to transfer to a Thai office or branch within the same company. For example, in the case of initial employment in Singapore or if you have experience in Hong Kong. If this option is not available, you can contact the employer directly through the official website. Examples of large companies in Taiwan include China Steel Corporation, IBM, Anadigics Inc., HBSC, Taiwan Sugar Corporation.
Visit Taiwan as a tourist. Look around the place, try to make business connections, at the very least just relax and assess the living conditions in the country. Visit topical forums and social networking groups. Search for jobs in Taiwan on specialized sites on the Internet, leave a resume and a concise cover letter. Join a professional social networking site linkedin.com.
Websites with vacancies in Taiwan
Popular newspaper in Taiwan in English – Taipei Times
If you can't find a job in Taiwan without an intermediary, contact an international or Taiwanese recruitment agency. For example, adecco.com.tw
Jobs and wages in Taiwan
Recall that foreigners, with few exceptions, can count on jobs in Taiwan only in the field of skilled labor. And work experience and professional skills are crucial. In general, most Taiwanese (59%) work in the service sector, about 36% work in industry and 5% in agriculture.
According to the local statistics office, the average wage in Taiwan in 2024 is NT$51,911 per month, equivalent to €1,535. The official monthly minimum wage as of Jan. 1 is NT$27,470 or 815 euros. Depending on the position, foreign employees of international companies can expect decent salaries of 2.5-3.5 thousand euros per month or more.
Vacancies in Taiwan in 2024 are available in information technology and electronics, insurance, finance and banking, managers and marketers are required. The occupations in short supply include company managers, experienced engineers and in principle qualified technicians to work in the industrial sector. An advanced knowledge of English will enable you to find work in Taiwan in the fields of tourism and foreign language teaching.
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