There are numerous websites for job seeking, like 104.com.tw etc. With English as my only advantage here, I took it to the max in exploring career options. It seems that companies (small or medium) often have vacancies. It could be due to the turnover rate or people leaving for better opportunities in Taipei or even China, who knows.
Looking for a job here in Taiwan, especially when you are not living in or near Taipei could be tricky, not in terms of getting the job, that is the simple part, it is adapting and accepting the Taiwanese working culture that is tricky and difficult at some times.
Introduction to my first job
My first job was working as an English secretary for a medium sized, Taiwanese owned private company. It was a good introduction to the local work culture and practice. Don't be fooled by the job title, it was not a secretarial job, nothing close to it. After accepting the job offer, with a salary I find to be lower than what I expected (okay, I accepted the job because I was totally new to Subrogation or Maritime Law, I will explain later), I find that I actually do more than I was expecting to do.
To begin with, it appears that I was not working for the company which the office sign states to be. There was a smaller company formed to cover the main company's subrogation portion and a law firm which covers Maritime law. Confusing? I was lost the first month I was there. I was actually working for three (3) companies, sometimes four (4), including some assignment task from the main company. The three companies that I mainly work for, one is a subrogation company, one is a local law firm, handling maritime cases, and another is a law firm registered overseas. (Wow! That's a mouth full, glad that is done.)
Employee benefits
Since it is my first job, it is also the first time I have to learn about National Health Insurance, Labour Insurance, Income Tax as a Foreigner, Local Labour Law and Bank Accounts.
National Health Insurance and Labour Insurance
From what I understand so far, the National Health Insurance and Labour Insurance is paid partially by your employer and partially will be deducted from your monthly salary. It is advised that employees are to monitor closely on the amount deducted every month by your employer and also to cross check using your Postal Bank Account (yes, Taiwan postal is also a bank). It is important to ensure that these payments are made accordingly, else you would have to pay for health insurance on your own. It is "rumoured" that employers (especially small and medium companies) will report to the relevant department that you are receiving minimal wage (revised annually by the government), so that they would only pay the minimal amount for your insurance. Some employees prefer that, as that also means a minimal deduction in your monthly salary. However (yes, of course there is a bad side to this), when it come to make a claim to the insurance company, the employee would only receive the minimal as well. For example, pregnant employees will have maternity leave for 3 months, and for this three month, the insurance pay you a compensation for your leaves. Since a minimal salary was reported, a minimal compensation will be received.
Income Tax as a Foreigner
It should not be a shocker to pay income tax, this is practised globally. Well, income tax as a foreigner is slightly different. "Foreigners working with an ARC in Taiwan will have their wages taxed at a rate of 18% until they have stayed more than 183 days during a tax year. After 183 days, the government reduces your rate from 18% back to 5%. As for the 183 days that you paid 18%, which is 13% more than the normal rate, you will get this difference back when you file your taxes. Please note that the 183 days being from January 1 of each year."
So as you can see, for foreigner, it depends on how long have you resided in the country to indicate the tax rate of you income. So, do make an effort to stay in the country for more than 183 days a year if you are working.
Local Labour Law
The labour law, how can I put this in a good way? Most small and medium companies follows the laobour law strictly, you may think that it is something to celebrate for. But sadly no, as Taiwan Labour law, to my humble opinion, does not protects employees much. For instance, during the first year on the job, you are not entitled to any annual leaves. Only after the first year, you are entitled for 7 days of annual leaves.
Pregnant employee are eligible for three months maternity. It was "rumoured" that there are employers who would let go of employees who are pregnant, as after the three month maternity leave, employees could apply for another 6 months of no salary leave to take care of your child.
These are some of the legal law of the country. It is common that companies or even government departments would require you to sign an employment "contract" with regulations that are just absurd. For example,
(1) If you are one minute late from work, it would be recorded, and if you are late for 3 days for the month, you are requested to come back to work on a Saturday. If you do not comply, one day salary would be deducted. (There was even one from another company that states if you are late for one minute to work, it would be considered that you took the day off, you might as well go home.)
(2) You are not allowed to leave the company within one year, as it costs the company money to train you. (There are no training provided, they will throw you in deep sea and you better start swimming.)
(3) Overtime could only be claimed after 6pm. For every full half an hour, you are entitled to NTD40. No excuse to one minute less, or even if you are called back during the weekend to work. (Oh, they do not inform you that you need to fill in a form for this, else, too bad, no overtime payment.)
(4) You have to do cleaning as arranged in the duty roaster everyday, including sweeping, wiping, vacuuming. (Just like in school.)
(5) If you did anything wrong in your work, you are required to filled up a correction form which clearly states what you did wrong, how you should do it better and how you plan to improve it. This will be put up on a notice board for all to see.
Doesn't working in Taiwan sounds awesome?
Bank Accounts
Banks have an image of being safe and secure, it is a place where you can trust to put your money in. Since I am working, I would need to have an account for my salary, so the usual, I went to the bank to open my bank account. Here, they do not recognize "signature", usually when you see "signature" here, it literally means, "Please WRITE your mandarin name clearly so that I can read." Not just that, they would require that you get a traditional square stamp of your mandarin name, as this is actually another important identification tool. Well, I personally don't mind the protocol in getting an account opened. But what was surprising is that, someone else with my account passbook, my ID and my stamp is actually allowed to withdraw money from my account. (Note to self, do not keep three items together.)
My Experience
Well, as for my first job, I won't say it exceed my expectation in a good way, but it seriously was an eye opener on the working environment and culture here. It was a stressful and tough job with a boss who is a business person, and no where near a human person. In her view, she paid you your salary, so you are to work as she told and instructed, getting to most out of you with minimal salary.
Besides the horrible boss encounter, colleagues were friendly and helpful, especially when you are a foreigner in a new country, you would depend on that. It was a tiring and demanding job, but I did learnt a lot and gained a whole new perspective of a new field (or, fields, since I do work for several companies).
I left the company as I do not think I could see myself in there for a long time, with lack of growth, acknowledgement and professionalism respect. You would have to let go and move on.
So I did, with no regrets.
