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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Contract
- How long is each contract?
In most cases, 12 consecutive months. However, contracts shorter
than 12 months are not uncommon.
- May I renew my contract if I wish? Are there advancement
possibilities?
If you and your institute agree, you may renew your contract.
This can be arranged with your employer. If you wish to be placed
at a different institute,it is possible by obtaining release letter
from your employer. There are teachers who stay on in Taiwan for
years. Some become teacher trainers. Some become academic directors
for their schools. Others have been hired by Taiwanese businesses.
A lot can happen depending on your efforts to make the most of
your experience and time.
- If I do not want to work, can I break the contract? What
happens to me if I leave before the one year contract if finished?
If you leave before the one year contract, you are required to
reimburse the airfare. If you complete a year contract, you will
receive a Bonus(Severance Payment). If you leave early, you lose
the money. In addition, it will be hard to find another job in
Taiwan. If you break a contract, your visa will be canceled.
Relocation(Departing & Arriving)
- Who will be picking me up at the airport?
The director or someone from the institute will be waiting at
the airport for you. They will be holding a sign with your name
on it. If no one is there, wait for about an hour, as they could
be stuck in traffic. If after an hour, no one has yet arrived,
call the institute or the director directly.
- It says I will receive a one way ticket to Taiwan, what about
the return portion home? Am I responsible for the cost of the
return ticket home? What is the approximate cost?
You are responsible for the return ticket home. If after one year,
you decide to come back to the US/Canada, you are responsible
for the return fare home. The cost is about $ 400-500 back to
the West Coast and about $600-700 back to the East Coast. If you
decide to renew your contract with the same institute, the director
will agree to pay for your round-trip airfare either back to the
US/Canada or to a neighboring Asian country such as Taiwan or Hong
Kong to renew your working Visa permit. Many teachers take a tour
of Asia prior to their return. Therefore, it is wise to wait to
purchase the return portion of your ticket until you have decided
what your plans are after the completion of your contract.
- How long will it take before I am hired? When should I sell
my car and move out of my apartment? How long will it take before
I am actually in Taiwan?
The hiring process can vary depending on several factors. Sometimes
if an applicant is ready to depart immediately, he or she could
be hired as quickly as three days after the application is received.
Sometimes it could also take 3 months before a suitable institute
decides to hire an applicant. The timing of a hire has to do with
the number of institutes who are looking to hire at the time you
are available. But in most cases, if an applicant can be hired
he or she will be hired within 3 months from receipt of the application.
You should not plan on selling your car or moving out of your
apartment until you are officially notified of your hiring decision
by your employer in Taiwan. In most cases you will have at least
two to three weeks to prepare for your departure upon notification
of your hiring while your Visa is being processed. In many cases
this time period could be much shorter depending how quickly your
Visa is approved. All applicants should plan on departing for
Taiwan as soon as the Visa is approved..
Qualifications
- I don't have any related experience. Will it be difficult
to teach?
No. Most institutes provide some type of training. In private
language institutes, you will teach mainly everyday conversational
English. Each class uses a textbook for the course.
- What is a Diploma Confirmation? Why is it necessary?
A Diploma Confirmation is a photocopy of your diploma which has
been stamped by the Taiwanese Consulate once they have verified
that your original Diploma is authentic. A Diploma Confirmation
is necessary because the Taiwanese Government requires it for the
issuance of an educational work visa. In order to verify this,
the Taiwanese Consulate must validate your diploma. Due to instances
of forge diplomas being submitted by applicants without Bachelors
degrees, the Taiwanese government now requires the Original Diploma
to be physically sent in to the Consulate. By including a Diploma
Confirmation in your application you assure institutes that, if
hired, you will be granted an educational work visa. When you
send the Diploma Confirmation to the U.S. office, we forward it
to Taiwan so that upon hiring your institute can then start the
visa process on your behalf.
- What should I do if I have lost my Original Diploma or had
it permanently framed on the wall and it is too large to mail?
Most Consulates will also accept an official letter from your
Alma Mater, stating that you have graduated. This can be used
in place of your original diploma. You should contact the Taiwanese
Consulate which handles your jurisdiction to confirm that they
will accept this.
- I have a college degree but my spouse does not. Can we still
go together?
Unless both of you qualify for the teaching positions, it will
be difficult to find an institute which will hire you under these
circumstances. Although in recent times we have been able to find
some institutes which would accept these conditions, it could
take a much longer time. The spouse could come to Taiwan on what
is known as a Spousal Visa. If time is not a factor you are welcome
to apply.
- I would like to take my child with me to Taiwan. Is this
possible?
No. Dependents are not allowed. Taiwan has very little child care
available, nor are there many English speaking schools. The few
that exist in Taiwan are very expensive and may not be located
near your job location.
- I have a Teaching Degree/Certificate/Masters in English.
Will I be offered a higher salary?
In some cases you may be offered a higher salary based on your
credentials. If a higher salary is offered it will be indicated
by the institute in your contract at the time of hire.
Accommodation
- What are the accommodations like?
It depends. In most cases, the instructor will be living in a
shared apartment with other teachers. All teachers are assured
of their own private bedroom. The director will provide basic
furniture. You may have to share the kitchen and bathroom in the
apartment.
- Will my housing be far from my job?
Most jobs will be within walking distance of your accommodation.
If not, it will be either a short bus or subway ride away. Most
institutes have already established teacher housing very near
the institutes.
- What can I expect my housing situation to be like?
All teachers are assured of their own private bedroom, although
you may have an apartment mate who will also have her or his own
room. This apartment mate will usually be another English teacher
from the US/Canada though sometimes he or she will be a Taiwanese
English teacher. You may have to share the kitchen and bathroom
in the apartment. The housing will be clean and modern by Taiwanese
standards. Keep in mind that the amount of living space in a Taiwanese
apartment is generally less than in a standard Western apartment.
These institutes have a lot of experience with these matters,
having housed many Foreign teachers throughout the years they
have been in business.
Classes
- How large are the classes?
The classes in private language schools are generally from 10-14
students. What are the classes like? All classes use textbooks
that are very similar to the second language books used in high
school and university. With younger students, more learning activities
are incorporated into the class. In adult classes, more "FREE
TALK" time is given to promote conversation. How long is each
class? The classes are usually 45-50 minutes each. What are the
ages of the students? That will depend on the school that you
will be contracted with. The ages can vary from kindergarten to
adults. Most of the positions require you to teach a mix group
of students.
- Who are the students? What is the schedule?
Language institutes are usually open to students of all ages,
from elementary school students to working professionals. Teachers
are expected to teach all age groups as necessary. Institutes
operate year round. Instructors are hired on an individual basis
as necessary all year round. The actual starting date will vary
from instructor to instructor, institute to institute.
- How much class preparation will be required of me?
The amount of time spent on class preparation will be up to you.
You will be required to prepare your daily lesson plans. Once
you have gained some experience, you should be able to develop
a lesson planning routine which will help you to greatly reduce
the amount of time you will need to spend on class preparation.
Payment & Money Matters
- How often will I get paid?
You will be paid once a month. Your monthly salary will be deposited
directly into your Taiwanese account.
- Can I send money back to my country?
Yes. On a work visa, you can open a bank account. Through your
bank account in Taiwan, you will be able to transfer funds to your
country, for a small transfer fee.
- Can I open a bank account in Taiwan?
Will I be able to send money back home? Yes. You will be considered
an Alien Resident of Taiwan. With your passport, you will be able
to open a bank account at most banks. Through your bank account
in Taiwan, you will be able to transfer funds anywhere in the world,
for a small transfer fee.
- I have student loans and other payments I am responsible
for here in the US/Canada. How can I take care of these while
I am away for a year?
Through your bank account in Taiwan, you may wire 75% of your salary
out of Taiwan. You could send money directly to the institutions
or you could send the money to a friend who could pay these bills
for you.
- How will I be paid? Monthly, weekly?
You could be paid monthly or biweekly. It will depend on the policy
of the specific institute that decides to hire you.
- Will I be paid in Taiwan dollars or US dollars?
You will be paid in Taiwanese dollars. Your contract will indicate
your pay structure.
- Can I exchange my Taiwanese dollars to US dollars?
Yes. You can exchange to US dollars if you wish. But during your
stay in Taiwan there will be no need for you to convert Taiwanese dollars
to US dollars or any other foreign currency. All vendors prefer
Taiwanese dollars.
- How much money should I take with me when I go to Taiwan
to get me by until my first paycheck?
Take as much as possible, it never hurts to have extra money.
But we recommend at least $ 400- 500. This figure depends on what
you plan on taking with you versus what you plan on purchasing
in Taiwan.
Employers
- Do institutes have computers and can I access the Internet
in Taiwan? Can I take my laptop to Taiwan?
Some institutes have computers, some do not. Again, it will depend
on which institute hires you. The Internet is accessible in Taiwan.
If you have a laptop computer, you are encouraged to take it with
you.
- If I am hired by an institute, may I contact my institute?
When you are hired by an institute, we provide you with the phone
numbers of the institute so that you can talk with the institute
directly or even talk to English teachers that you will be working
with. In this way, you can get detailed information about the
specific institute for which you will be working.
General
- Do I need to know any Taiwanese? Can I learn any Taiwanese
while I am there? Are there any classes for Foreigners? Do most
people in Taiwan speak English?
You are not expected to learn any Taiwanese for your classroom
duties, though it would be wise to study it in order to enrich
your time in Taiwan. Learning the language can help you gain insight
into the Taiwanese culture and help you meet people. At any rate,
you should try to learn some "survival" Taiwanese. Most Taiwaneses
do not speak any English. Though they may read and write and understand
some English they may not have enough confidence to speak any
English to you, although they would like to. If you would like
to learn Taiwanese, many Universities have classes for beginners.
Sometimes teachers will also barter with some of their older students
to tutor English privately outside of class time in exchange for
private Taiwanese lessons. The students get very excited about
the prospect of teaching their teacher Taiwanese.
- What is the cost of living in Taiwan relative to the US/Canada?
Is there a difference within Taiwan?
The cost of living in Taiwan is generally less than in the US/Canada.
The cost of living varies from larger cities to smaller cities.
Your monthly expenses will largely depend on your discretion,
how you choose to spend your money. One way to save money is to
buy domestic brands rather than imports with names you recognize.
You will need about 200,000 yen (about $1,600 USD) for your first
month. If you bring a Credit, Debit or Visa card, beware as there
will be very very few places you can use them and ATMs shut around
8pm. Most transactions in Taiwan are made in cash. Travellers’
cheques in yen are preferable. You will need this money to have
fun, set up your apartment, buy food and maybe for a little comfort
shopping.
Apartments are, of course, more expensive than rooms in shared
apartments, where kitchen and bathroom are shared. Depending on
the room and company, the monthly rate for a shared apartment
in Tokyo is about 50,000 to 100,000 Yen per month and person while
a whole apartment costs at least about 100,000 Yen per month.
You will save a great deal of money in Taiwan if you use your head
a little. Buying off the high street of your small town will be
more expensive than going to the larger retail stores in larger
towns. There are a variety of places where you will be able to
get the same item for a cheaper price. Once you hit a certain
area you may find that the prices for many goods are identical.
Many of the stores make this arrangement with each other. It is
still worth shopping around though.
The 100 Yen store is the ultimate source for household goods when
you are setting up in Taiwan. They sell everything for 100yen and
you will find and buy many things you thought you could do without
but at 100yen. Useful for kitchenware, stationery, household goods,
some foodstuffs and even clothes. The larger 100yen Plaza stores
stock a far greater variety of goods than their smaller counterparts
and are well worth seeking out.
- I would like to go with my friend and be placed together.
Is this possible?
We can hire two or more teachers for simultaneous placement. You
should cross reference on your application that you would like
to be placed with a friend. If possible, submit your applications
at the same time.
- Will I be in a rural town or village? Will I be near other
Americans/Canadians/ Foreigners?
You will not be placed in a rural village. If there is a demand
for an English teacher, the city will generally have at least
100,000 people. Since there are many English language institutes
throughout Taiwan, there is a good possibility that other Americans/Canadians
will be working in the area.
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