Want to move to Taiwan, but no idea WTF to do for a living

[bismarck]

Anyone expecting to come and find a rich, vibrant culture here is going to find the most grotesque, spiritually bereft elements of Western commercialism and materialism writ large. I wouldn't raise kids here if my life depended upon it.

I wouldn't go that far, but...to each his own.

I just feel that when choosing between here and NZ, especially with good prospects in NZ they might be better off staying there.
However, no one says you need to be an absentee parent. Some just choose to be and use the excuse, "We don't have a choice." Also, Taiwan is better than a lot of countries, and how you see Taiwan will depend on your own experiences and on where you come from, and/or what you feel is important.

From my POV, I'd rather raise my kids here and live in Taiwan with my family than back in SA. But there are very good reasons for that. But, if I was a New Zealander or an Aussie with good career prospects in NZ or Aus, I would much rather move my family there. But that's just based on my own perceptions and experiences.

Personally, I think other New Zealanders living in Taiwan and who post here, especially those who post on this board would be much better qualified than I to give advice on this matter. Although my perception is that being schooled and raised in NZ would be much better for a child than being schooled and raised in Taiwan.

[divea]

I wouldn't raise kids here if my life depended upon it.

if your life depended on it. You would. We are all raising our kids here, because this is where our livelihoods are. Of course if we had a choice, we would all choose to raise our kids in ........?

OP, listen to what the guys here are saying. They kno what they're talking about.

[ice raven]

If you're such an expert, why come here and look for a job? Why not start your own business?

[pgdaddy]

Hi Guys and Girls,

A bit of background, my girlfriend is Taiwanese and has lived in NZ for about 12 years. We are having a little girl and want her to be able to speak Taiwanese/Mandarin as well as get to know her grand parents. My great idea was that we would move to Taiwan when our girl is about 3 so she can start school in Taiwan.

The problem is, I have no idea what I can do for a living in Taiwan. I am currently a senior consultant specializing in computer networking, I also have considerable experience managing projects, teams and businesses. I do not have a degree but have many industry certifications as well as references. And to top it off I speak very little Chinese

How hard is it to get jobs in Taiwan where speaking Chinese is not a requirement ?
What are the requirements for me to be able to stay in Taiwan long term ?
Are their any restrictions on foreigner's starting/owning a company in Taiwan ?

In one word: don't.

Your little girl should be bilingual anyway, if your girlfriend speaks to her in Mandarin. She may not be able to read and write Chinese but so what, all those hours not spent on learning the characters can be used to develop herself in other ways. She'll also pick up some words of the Taiwanese dialect.

You seem to have a lot going for you there in NZ. Don't throw it away in search of a Chinese cultural utopia in Taiwan. Because the reality is very different.

[Northcoast Surfer]

Don't abandon your life in New Zealand and move to Taiwan! I wholeheartedly concur with the following quotes below.

Children here generally do not have much of a life or space

Stay in New Zealand and continue your life. Be successful and continue to increase your wealth and happiness there.

Your life will never reach the same level of happiness, success ad financial reward as you portray in your original, and subsequent, posts.

[almas john]

Hi Made in New Zealand,
I'm a kiwi who has lived in Taiwan for over a decade. I have to say that I agree wholeheartedly with those who say you shouldn't move here. Long visits would, in my opinion, be a better option.

[sandman]

Bloke's not asking whether he should move here. That's HIS business, not ours. He's asking what his options are for getting work.

[cfimages]

Just to add to those offering opinions on whether to come or stay, I'd say come here. For your daughter, a few years growing up in and living in a different culture can only be a good thing. For you, if you are wealthy and successful at 29, then you're probably the kind of person who can create success anywhere at any age, so that may not be a big problem. Just find something you enjoy doing and give it a go. Worst case scenario is you go back to NZ after a few years and take up where you left off.

As for those comparing culture of the two places, well I'm from Australia and for me, Taiwan is a much better place to live with a much more interesting culture. The only downside is no cricket.

Jobwise, are you able to work remotely at all? If not, look at all the foreign companies that have a presence here and start contacting them. You could either try to get work directly with one of them, or freelance/contract to them. With a marriage visa, lack of a degree won't be a problem.

[Joesox]

If you're such an expert, why come here and look for a job? Why not start your own business?

Perhaps that's why the OP wrote:

Are their any restrictions on foreigner's starting/owning a company in Taiwan ?

I can't recall the last time this specific question was answered on Forumosa. Of course there are lots of restrictions and conditions on starting the kind of company/branch office that can get you a work permit. But the OP shouldn't need that kind of work permit if he comes in on a marriage visa. I have a dim recollection that it's not actually that hard/expensive to start a regular company here. But maybe someone could give the OP some accurate info on this?

[BigJohn]

Hi Made in NZ!

Life can be good here in many ways, but it's not as good as it might first appear, hence the negativity from some posters. There are some professional limitations here for foreigners unless you have a niche business that takes off or are working for a big foreign-owned company where western culture dominates. The main limiting factor here is the culture. It is very difficult not to make mistakes in business here, due to the different styles of logic, different system of priorities, and different styles of communication. Unless you are a cunning spy type you will not be aware of a lot of the stuff going on around you. Also, there is little interest here in promoting foreigners to senior levels.

If you are interested in management consulting, you could focus on NZ / Australian bound companies looking to invest in Asia, or Asian companies looking to invest there. That would be an area where your nationality would be an asset, rather than a hindrance.

There are technology jobs to be had here as well, but all of the big companies would require a degree, not for the visa but just for local HR policy - that is, I assume that. Even with the JFRV,you still technically need a bachelor's degree to work legally in any white collar position. The big foreign firms would probably follow this requirement.

Can you think of some way to extend or adapt your current employment here? Or even telec ommute?

You can always do stock market investment online, or write business strategy / English books for the local market, without a degree.

Maybe you could get a degree in the interim? BTW, distance degrees are not usually recognized here.

The junior and senior high schools here really do suck. They are prison-like, soul destroying places. I know because I've worked in them.

Best of luck!