Grey Zone?

[T.Nick]

Grey zone…
I came to Taiwan on a visitor visa to meet some friends from school. They said teaching was a great way to save some coin and do more traveling. I started looking for a job and did a few interviews. The last one was a real pickle.
I arrived at the school to do my interview early in the morning. I’m givin a coffee from one of the guys who works there and we chat about the job. A man walks in to the classroom, takes a picture and walks out.. wtf? Then I was asked to do an interview with these guys. They asked me what I was doing there and I told them, it’s an interview. Here comes the Grey zone… I find out later that I’m not even aloud to be on school property without a working arc. We finish the interrogation and I sign the paper, stating what I said. And then was told that I may or may not receive a letter telling me to leave the country. If I got the letter I had 2 weeks to leave, pay the 30,000 and banned for 5 years.
Sketchy would be the word. This government seems way corrupt and really unorganized. I had only been in TW for about a month. So I decided to leave before having to pay some ridiculous fines. I left the country with no issues at all. My girlfriend at the time was used as my 2nd person to contact incase I wasn’t around she could take the paper work. If it ever came. She never received anything. I called the school looking for answers but they were just as useless as the grey zone guy. The boss claimed that I could come back and just pay the 30,000nt fine and it’s all okay… hmm… bullshit? I think so.
So my question is, can I come back to Taiwan? Who should I contact to figure out exactly what the deal is? Has this happened to anyone else?
Thanks in advance.

[Buttercup]

What's corrupt about it? You get fined and deported for working illegally everywhere.

They said teaching was a great way to save some coin and do more traveling.

Are unchecked foreigner 'travellers' allowed access to children without anyone checking their teaching credentials in your home country?

It takes a while for the paperwork to go through, but yes, it sounds like you got busted. Probably on a tip-off.

[T.Nick]

What is corrupt about it? Money talks... enough said.

I have a degree and was looking for a "legal" job. I was a newb and went there searching for a job. The school was a kindy with a buxiban that offered an ARC and decent benefits. And yes you're right there was a tip off. Before I got there apparently a handyman that was hired and fired sought revenge on the school.. He got it!

As for unchecked teachers and all that... I've heard stories.

I've called the foreign affairs police and they found nothing of me on record. It's still not totally clear what the deal is here. Sketchy to say the least.

Cheers.

[Buttercup]

It takes a while to be processed. It usually takes a while for the paperwork to go through and people to be deported. There are a few threads on forumosa about what the process entails.

You may feel the situation is stupid about interviews, but the thinking behind it is that random people can not walk in off the street into a children's school before their credentials are checked. Obviously, that's stupid; having a degree doesn't stop a person from being a nutter or pervert, but given that Taiwan's buxiban/school system can't really afford to pay for detailed police checks and teachers with credentials and police clearance in their own countries, it tries to find a middle ground which is not particularly useful or effective from anyone's point of view.

It may be ineffective and frustrating, but the powers that be certainly aren't interested in our take on the situation. Their take is that they are trying to protect vulnerable children from unsavoury foreigners.

Good luck with your travelling.

[T.Nick]

Thanks for the quick reply.

It's understandable what they are doing. Re-the paper work, how long does that usually take? This happened about 8 months ago. I will be calling TPE to find out if there are any restrictions re-me coming back in to the country. I'm crossing my figure I've fallen through a crack

Thanks.

[rousseau]

Here comes the Grey zone… I find out later that I’m not even aloud to be on school property without a working arc.

So do written work. Have the students concentrate on reading silently. Oral communication is overrated, anyway.