Potential Contract-thoughts???

[Abacus]

tbh the pay is actually pretty standard for a newb.

I've been out of country for 3 years. $570 per hour. Are you saying the average hourly wage has dropped during the last 3 years or stayed the same? Are hourly wages deflating? What would be considered the absolute minimum a newb should consider?

If hourly wages are indeed deflating, it doesn't bode well for most English teachers in the Wan. Keep in mind that In China English teacher's wages are increasing.

I doubt any newbs get over 600NT/hr and I see a lot of jobs that offer starting wages in the 550-600NT/hr range. And that usually includes experienced teachers switching jobs.

Yes, the ESL industry is going downhill in Taiwan. This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. the pay/hr (even at 550-600NT) is still pretty competitive throughout Asia but the competition for hours is awful. I see too many jobs that offer 14-20 hrs/wk and they have started including all kinds of extra duties like the OP's contracts that kill the hourly rate. If you can get a good job (I have a nice one) then ESL in taiwan is nice but if you don't then it's definitely easier to make more money elsewhere (Korea and china primarily). This is entirely due to the ease that you can find a job with 25-30 hrs/wk and not because of the hourly rate.

Maybe others can share their take on the current market but mostly I hear people that haven't taught for years (or ever) say that it X amount is really low when in fact it is the current standard. this isn't ESL heyday that we're talking about.

[timmyjames]

i just looked at a popular job site and saw within the first 6-8 posts jobs paying 600+ (up to 750, which I do feel is most likely b./s, but 650 should be possible), and salaried FT work, for 60-70+



edit: just wanted to point out though..that yes, 570 for a "I must have a job before i fly there" job seems rather standard

do any of the big chains pay airfare?

[SillyWilly]

It's good to hear the hourly wage has been stable the past 3 years. But the main concern is that getting a decent amount of hours is becoming more of a problem these days.

I'm becoming more concerned about the possible fallout of a US recession in 2013-2014 combined with a significant slowdown in China - resulting in lost jobs / cut salaries for Taiwanese workers. This will have 2 main effects on foreign teachers in my opinion:

1. More 2012-2014 graduates will flood to Taiwan and current un/underemployed recent graduates will migrate to Taiwan to at least have a job. Many Americans arriving after the 2008 financial crisis haven't even returned home yet since the job market sucks.
2. More parents will experience cut salaries or cut hours in Taiwan resulting in kids being taken out of English buxibans, less teachers being needed, and wages declining faster. Just like in 2008, but worse this time around.

[ReadytoTeach07]

Thank you for the feedback!

[timmyjames]

It's good to hear the hourly wage has been stable the past 3 years. But the main concern is that getting a decent amount of hours is becoming more of a problem these days.

I'm becoming more concerned about the possible fallout of a US recession in 2013-2014 combined with a significant slowdown in China - resulting in lost jobs / cut salaries for Taiwanese workers. This will have 2 main effects on foreign teachers in my opinion:

1. More 2012-2014 graduates will flood to Taiwan and current un/underemployed recent graduates will migrate to Taiwan to at least have a job. Many Americans arriving after the 2008 financial crisis haven't even returned home yet since the job market sucks.
2. More parents will experience cut salaries or cut hours in Taiwan resulting in kids being taken out of English buxibans, less teachers being needed, and wages declining faster. Just like in 2008, but worse this time around.

can't say I disagree...teaching kids here is a shrinking industry anyway...I think it's safe to say it has peaked..there will always be a demand, but a much softer demand

[Hondu Grease]

Why do people feel like they have to have a job before they come here? I can't imagine taking a teaching position at a school I've never visited...

Just get a visitors visa and get over here. It's not that difficult to find a job with a much more reasonable contract. Walk through the school, look around, smell the place before you commit to a contract. There are bunches of jobs that will pay you NT$600/hour and not require so much crap.