High School Job, no Certification

[skyeward]

Hi...any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

I was hired on at a private junior/senior high school, and they're trying to get my ARC/work permit together. The government has said I need to have a teaching certificate from a State (I'm American), and that my CELTA certification isn't good enough. This puts me in a really rough spot for a couple reasons, first being that I really like this job and all the people there, and second because my 60-day visitor visa is up on July 20th. I'm going to try to extend it another 30 days, which I've been told I can do at least once, after I figure out how to do it, but I don't know what to do about the work permit and neither does my school.

Is there any way to reframe it so that I can work there and not need a teaching certification? For example (off the top of my head, because I really have no idea), list me as something other than a teacher, or something? Or do I have to get a different job? They said the government has given us until July 5th to get this sorted out. Obviously I can't get a teaching certification from a school back home in ten days, so...

Any ideas?

[housecat]

Who hired you in the first place? Every school on the island knows that they have to hire either certified teachers, or teachers with their own ARC's, JFRV visas. The school likely can't hire you for any other position because they'd have to justify hiring a foreigner over a Taiwanese for that job.

And if you've been working there already with no ARC, then you're working illegally.

[Belgian Pie]

You see, that's one of the points were an APRC comes in handy ...

... and no, you probably can't extend your visa unless you've a really good reason for it, like doing a Chinese course or going to be married within the month ... but just extending to extend is normally not done, even when you have an extendable visa ... but, hey you could leave and come back and get a visa-free entrance for 30-90 days depending on your home country ...

... and tell us, how did you get your job at the public school in the first place, have you already worked there? Because if so, that was big time illegal.

[skyeward]

Guys, I'm trying to get legal. I don't want to do anything against the law, but I would really like to stay in Taiwan. I came on a visitor visa and I want to stay, so I'm trying to find a job and get a work permit before I run out of money or visa time. I don't know much about the immigration laws and stuff here, so I came to ask people who might know. I assumed the school (it's a private school, not public) would know, but the other teachers either had dual citizenship or a spousal ARC thing, so I guess they didn't know either.

One of their English teachers is going on an extended vacation and they want me to come in and cover for him and then if I do a good job, they said I could stay on, which is why they're doing the work permit application. All I've done so far is observe a couple classes (from the back, not as a teacher) to get a feel for the school. I really like the school and the people there, so I'd like to stay. Could I be listed as like, a translator or materials-preparation or something that would reasonably require a native English-speaker? Would that work, do you think?

I have a multiple-entry visa, so I guess it'd be better for me to just leave and come back rather than trying to extend my visa?

Sorry I don't know much.

[steelersman]

Guys, I'm trying to get legal. I don't want to do anything against the law, but I would really like to stay in Taiwan. I came on a visitor visa and I want to stay, so I'm trying to find a job and get a work permit before I run out of money or visa time. I don't know much about the immigration laws and stuff here, so I came to ask people who might know. I assumed the school (it's a private school, not public) would know, but the other teachers either had dual citizenship or a spousal ARC thing, so I guess they didn't know either.

One of their English teachers is going on an extended vacation and they want me to come in and cover for him and then if I do a good job, they said I could stay on, which is why they're doing the work permit application. All I've done so far is observe a couple classes (from the back, not as a teacher) to get a feel for the school. I really like the school and the people there, so I'd like to stay. Could I be listed as like, a translator or materials-preparation or something that would reasonably require a native English-speaker? Would that work, do you think?

I have a multiple-entry visa, so I guess it'd be better for me to just leave and come back rather than trying to extend my visa?

Sorry I don't know much.

The answer is simple, find your self a legal job. If you only have a CELTA certification and no degree then you cannot legally teach in Taiwan.

Best of luck.

[TaiwanTeacher]

A note of caution: The Labor Bureau has recently required first time ESL Teacher applicants for a work visa/ARC to have a copy of their college degree certified in person by a TECO office IN their HOME country. A guy I know couldn't secure his ARC in work he qualifies for because he'd have to fly BACK to the USA to get the document certified.

[skyeward]

The answer is simple, find your self a legal job. If you only have a CELTA certification and no degree then you cannot legally teach in Taiwan.

Best of luck.

I do have a degree, and in the relevant field, just not with the supplementary license they want.

Anyway, I got it sorted. Somebody from my school asked around at other private schools, who all have unlicensed English teachers, and they told her what to do.

Thanks for all the help and support.

[steelersman]

The answer is simple, find your self a legal job. If you only have a CELTA certification and no degree then you cannot legally teach in Taiwan.

Best of luck.

I do have a degree, and in the relevant field, just not with the supplementary license they want.

Anyway, I got it sorted. Somebody from my school asked around at other private schools, who all have unlicensed English teachers, and they told her what to do.

Thanks for all the help and support.

If the police come you will be deported. If your school gets an ARC through another school then you will be working illegally. That is not getting it sorted. By working at high school without a teacher certification you are working illegally. If the shit hits the wall, you will be the one in trouble.

[housecat]

If the police come you will be deported. If your school gets an ARC through another school then you will be working illegally. That is not getting it sorted. By working at high school you are working illegally. If the shit hits the wall, you will be the one in trouble.

Yep. You've been fairly warned.

[kjmillig]

I won't go into my own opinion on the matter, but yes, to legally teach at a public school one must have a bachelor's degree or equivalent and current teaching license from their home country. Why is that surprising to so many people?