Western White-Collar Workers Pouring into Hong Kong

[headhonchoII]

It's relatively easy to get a work permit in Taiwan for somebody with a little experience and an education. It is also relatively easy to find a job. But it's not easy to get open work visa rights and employers sure know how to take advantage of that. Once your work contract is terminated you can be forced to leave the country almost immediately.

[archylgp]

'If she is referring to the government, she's wrong: China has the 2 year restriction (Hong Kong?) and Taiwan doesn't according to that government lady if the salary is 37k+....If she's referring to poor working conditions, then she's right...' I can't understand this.

This should be more clear.

If the professor is referring to the Taiwanese government not welcoming foreigners, then she is wrong: To get a work visa in China, foreigners must have two years of work experience in a related area. Taiwan doesn't have this restriction according the government lady in the video. (Since the video made it seem like many people are going to the PRC, I think this is relevant.) The minimum salary required of foreign workers in Taiwan without 2 years of related work experience is 37k NT, though. If the professor is thinking that poor working conditions are the reasons why foreigners are not staying in Taiwan to work, then she is correct.

It's relatively easy to get a work permit in Taiwan for somebody with a little experience and an education. It is also relatively easy to find a job. But it's not easy to get open work visa rights and employers sure know how to take advantage of that. Once your work contract is terminated you can be forced to leave the country almost immediately.

I agree. But aren't most places like this?

[headhonchoII]

Not every country forces you out on termination, some allow you to stay until your visa expires or to switch to another employer.

As for the 37K minimum rule, that applies to foreigners who graduated from Taiwanese universities , not to foreigners who land here and want to apply for a work permit. The rules are different for them, used to be 2 years work experience or 1 with a Master's, bachelor education as minimum, 40k+/mth requirement. May have been relaxed a little bit since then.

[archylgp]

As for the 37K minimum rule, that applies to foreigners who graduated from Taiwanese universities , not to foreigners who land here and want to apply for a work permit. The rules are different for them, used to be 2 years work experience or 1 with a Master's, bachelor education as minimum, 40k+/mth requirement. May have been relaxed a little bit since then.

Interesting. The government worker in that video didn't mention this. She just said ''graduate''. Perhaps the details were edited out...

I guess the 38k rule insures that international students will not compete with local graduates for jobs.

(Good to know that some countries give a ''resident window'' after termination.)

[dan2006]

As for the 37K minimum rule, that applies to foreigners who graduated from Taiwanese universities , not to foreigners who land here and want to apply for a work permit. The rules are different for them, used to be 2 years work experience or 1 with a Master's, bachelor education as minimum, 40k+/mth requirement. May have been relaxed a little bit since then.

Interesting. The government worker in that video didn't mention this. She just said ''graduate''. Perhaps the details were edited out...

I guess the 38k rule insures that international students will not compete with local graduates for jobs.

(Good to know that some countries give a ''resident window'' after termination.)

Since Taiwan isn't competitive pay wise, it is probably a good thing that the graduates go on to bigger and better things in HK and China

A resident window would be nice though.

[Omniloquacious]

The problem here is the general inflexibility and poor management of all large Taiwanese institutions. Not anti-foreign sentiment. It still a big problem for any serious internationalization.

This and other remarks in the same post are spot on. Feiren knows what he’s talking about.

There are many senior government officials who clearly understand where Taiwan is falling short, sincerely wish to rectify the shortcomings, and try their best to do so. But there are others standing in their way who take a different or opposite view, either not seeing any need for change or actively objecting to it. And it’s always easier to block than do in any organization, especially a government one. All the more so in a culture like this.

[dan2006]

The problem here is the general inflexibility and poor management of all large Taiwanese institutions. Not anti-foreign sentiment. It still a big problem for any serious internationalization.

This and other remarks in the same post are spot on. Feiren knows what he’s talking about.

There are many senior government officials who clearly understand where Taiwan is falling short, sincerely wish to rectify the shortcomings, and try their best to do so. But there are others standing in their way who take a different or opposite view, either not seeing any need for change or actively objecting to it. And it’s always easier to block than do in any organization, especially a government one. All the more so in a culture like this.

I also agree, Feiren is right on the money with this one.

Even back home, I had worked for one company where even though the employees could see that the path the management was taking was not a good one, due to seeing the bad results on the front lines, the company ignored the comments until they lost so much money they had to reassess.

The larger the ship (organization) the easier it is for all the departments to butt heads, and in the end it is easier for them to just become complacent and not do anything, even when the ship is heading for the waterfall because no one wants to step on toes. It's the nail that sticks out that gets hammered.

[Mawvellous]

Where's the political leadership? Surely the CLA doesn't have a veto on government policy and unlike the new stock gains tax, no legislation is required. The Executive Yuan can fire the labour minister if necessary and demand the CLA comes up with suitable revisions to the law.

The problem here is the general inflexibility and poor management of all large Taiwanese institutions. Not anti-foreign sentiment. It still a big problem for any serious internationalization.

This and other remarks in the same post are spot on. Feiren knows what he’s talking about.

There are many senior government officials who clearly understand where Taiwan is falling short, sincerely wish to rectify the shortcomings, and try their best to do so. But there are others standing in their way who take a different or opposite view, either not seeing any need for change or actively objecting to it. And it’s always easier to block than do in any organization, especially a government one. All the more so in a culture like this.

I also agree, Feiren is right on the money with this one.

Even back home, I had worked for one company where even though the employees could see that the path the management was taking was not a good one, due to seeing the bad results on the front lines, the company ignored the comments until they lost so much money they had to reassess.

The larger the ship (organization) the easier it is for all the departments to butt heads, and in the end it is easier for them to just become complacent and not do anything, even when the ship is heading for the waterfall because no one wants to step on toes. It's the nail that sticks out that gets hammered.

[headhonchoII]

This is not an important political issue on the island. It is just low on their list of priorities.

[Mawvellous]

This is not an important political issue on the island. It is just low on their list of priorities.

The fact that it is not an important political issue and relatively uncontroversial is a great reason to push forward reform in this area. Other areas of reform are much more difficult due to entrenched interests and the fact that the opposition has decided to make an issue out of them.