Teaching in Taiwan Guide
Overview
Balanced living, mountain trails, visa stability —Taiwan couples high-speed rail, 1-gig fibre, and near-zero street crime with misty peaks and hot-spring weekends. One-year renewable ARCs plus world-class National Health Insurance give long-term security rare elsewhere in Asia. Smaller class sizes and polite students lower classroom stress, while night markets, dragon-boat races, and lantern festivals keep evenings lively. Hike Yushan, cycle Sun Moon Lake, or dive coral reefs in Kenting—all within a bullet-train weekend. Perfect for teachers seeking Mandarin immersion without megacity overwhelm.
Core Requirements
- Your employer first applies for a **Work Permit** through the Ministry of Labor (processing ≈ 1–2 weeks if all papers are correct).
- After approval, if abroad you lodge for a Resident Work Visa at a TECO/BOCA office (5–7 days). If already in Taiwan (e.g. on a visitor visa) you can convert status without leaving.
- Enter Taiwan ➔ within 15 days apply for your Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) at the National Immigration Agency. The ARC is usually 1 year (sometimes 2–3) and allows multiple entry; renew it in-country as long as you stay employed.
- Local hires: Taiwanese citizens do not need a work permit or ARC but must hold the appropriate Taiwanese teacher credentials for public schools.
- A Bachelor’s degree in any field is the legal minimum for an ESL Work Permit (source: TEALIT).
- Exception: a 2-year Associate’s + 100 hr TEFL can qualify at some cram-school chains (e.g. Hess); most employers still prefer a Bachelor’s.
- Because Taiwan is not in the Hague Apostille Convention, notarise your diploma then have it authenticated (“chop”) by a TECO office. Non-English/Chinese diplomas need a certified translation.
- The same authentication route applies to any teaching licence or certificates you submit.
- ESL Work-Permits are limited to native-English-speaker passports (🇺🇸 🇨🇦 🇬🇧 🇮🇪 🇦🇺 🇳🇿 🇿🇦). Non-natives need a different visa path or niche subject roles.
- A 100 + hour TEFL/TESOL is expected by quality schools (mandatory if your degree is not in Education). It can boost pay and hiring chances.
- No experience required for entry-level buxiban (cram school) jobs; public-school FET, international schools, & universities demand a teaching licence and often 1–2 yrs experience (master’s for uni).
- Submit a national criminal background check (e.g. FBI summary) ≤ 6 months old; authenticate it via TECO just like your degree.
- Minor traffic fines are okay; any criminal record involving violence, children, or drugs will be refused.
- No extra local police check is usually required after arrival—only the home-country clearance.
- Taiwan bans age discrimination, but in practice schools favour teachers < 55 yrs; effective retirement ~60 ♀ / 65 ♂.
- A designated hospital health exam is compulsory for the first ARC (and some renewals). Tests: chest X-ray (TB), blood & urine (HIV, syphilis, hepatitis, narcotics), basic physical. Cost ≈ NT$1,500–2,000; results 3–7 days.
- HIV-positive applicants are not barred (travel ban lifted). Goal is mainly to catch active TB or drug use.
- Offer signed → Employer files Work Permit (7–10 days) → Abroad: apply Resident Visa at TECO (5–7 days) / In Taiwan: change status → Fly / stay → Post-arrival health exam (1 day) → Apply ARC within 15 days (processing ~10 days) → ARC issued (1–3 yrs).
- Up-front cash: ≈ NT$60 000 (≈ US $2 000) for two-month rent deposit + first rent, visa/ARC fees (~NT$1 000–3 000), health exam, and living costs until first paycheck.
Hiring Periods
| School / Employer Type | Main Intake | Secondary Intake | Year-Round / Special Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | May – July | Nov – Jan | High turnover → plenty of last-minute ads in Aug & Jan (for immediate starts after holidays). |
| Public School | Apr – Jun | Nov – Dec | Hire in late spring for September term. Smaller second intake if a teacher leaves mid-year. |
| Private School / Bilingual | Oct – Feb | Mar – Apr | Often recruit 6–9 months ahead to secure visas; some mid-year openings around March. |
| International School | Oct – Jan | — | Aligns with global job-fair calendar; offers typically issued very early for August start. |
| University | Oct – Dec (CVs) → Apr/May offers | Nov (rare spring intake) | Longest lead time; hiring for Sept starts. Spring semester hires only if replacements needed. |
| Language Center / Training School | Mar – Apr & Aug – Sept | Jan – Feb | Year-round rolling hires, with peaks before summer and after Chinese New Year. |
| Private Tutoring | Jun – Sept (summer break) | Jan – Feb (winter break) | Rolling demand; families seek tutors during school holidays (winter and summer). |
Popular Locations
Quick Facts
- Capital – 2.6 M (metro 7 M)
- Spotless MRT; tap-&-go EasyCard
- ESL pay: NT$60–80 k; private tutoring NT$700–1200 / hr
- Night-market foodie paradise (Shilin, Raohe)
Climate Snapshot
Humid sub-tropical: mild damp winters (13 °C lows), hot muggy summers (34 °C highs) with afternoon showers and the occasional August typhoon; cherry-blossom hillsides in March, crisp jasmine-scented evenings each October.
Weekend Getaways
- Jiufen & Shifen: Studio-Ghibli hillside teahouses – 1 h bus.
- Yangmingshan: Hot-spring hikes & cherry blossoms – 40 min bus.
- Yilan Surf Coast: 1 h train – black-sand waves & seafood grills.
- Taitung /Fugang: 3 h train – launchpad to Green Island diving.
Monthly Cost Snapshot
- Rent (1-bed city-centre): NT$25 k
- Utilities + Internet: NT$2.5 k
- Groceries & eating out: NT$9 k
- MRT + YouBike: NT$2 k
- Total survival: ≈ NT$38 k
Why Teachers Pick Taipei
Pros
- Safe streets, low crime
- National Health Insurance coverage
- Café culture & fast internet
- Mandarin immersion without PRC bureaucracy
Cons
- High central rents vs. rest of Taiwan
- Humid summers; frequent rain showers
- Job market saturated Feb & Aug – apply early
Salary Estimates
Click a row to pre-fill the salary calculator below. The midpoint is used if you’re in “Exact amount” mode.
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Australian Dollar (AUD)
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| Item | Range (TWD) | Range (AUD) |
|---|---|---|
| Private school | NT$60,000.00 – NT$80,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Public school | NT$60,000.00 – NT$75,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Language center | NT$55,000.00 – NT$80,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Kindergarten | NT$55,000.00 – NT$80,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| International school | NT$80,000.00 – NT$140,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| University | NT$50,000.00 – NT$75,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Private tutor | NT$700.00 – NT$1,200.00 / hour | N/A / hour |
Cost of Living
Use the cost of living calculator to estimate your potential monthly expenses and savings.
Click on a salary above or enter one manually to calculate your expenses depending on which area you're interested in.
Select a currency
Australian Dollar (AUD)
Select a location
Click on the table rows to include/exclude items from the monthly expenses calculation.| Item | Range (TWD) | Range (AUD) |
|---|---|---|
| Rent (1-bed, city centre) | NT$20,000.00 – NT$30,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Rent (1-bed, outside centre) | NT$13,000.00 – NT$20,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Utilities (elec + water) | NT$1,500.00 – NT$2,500.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Internet (300 Mbps) | NT$800.00 – NT$1,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Mobile phone plan (4G) | NT$500.00 – NT$1,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Groceries (basic basket) | NT$9,000.00 – NT$12,000.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Meal (cheap restaurant) | NT$120.00 – NT$200.00 / each | N/A / each |
| Metro pass | NT$1,280.00 – NT$1,500.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Gym membership | NT$1,000.00 – NT$1,500.00 / month | N/A / month |
| Total Living Expenses | NT$0.00 / month | A$0.00 / month |