| I am afraid that I don't agree with the other posters. I don't think that it would be wise for you to come to Taiwan to try and find work teaching English if you are not a native speaker of the language.
Firstly, the market here is changing. There is still plenty of work around, probably more than there has ever been, but there are also a lot more qualified applicants, too. Therefore competition for positions is high, and as a result schools are becoming a lot tougher in their recruitment processes. If you don't meet the nationality, age etc, requirements that they are seeking then they probably won't give you a look in, and instead only give consideration to applicants who meet all of the governments and the schools requirements.
Secondly, even if you can find an employer who is willing to employ you, you could be 99% sure that you will be employed illegally. The reason for this is that the government in Taiwan has determined a certain group of countries as being native English speaking countries. Applications for work permits for teaching positions from passport holders from other countries cannot be processed and would be sent back to the applicant. Although there is some scope for the employment of non-native speakers, many schools don't either know this, or don't want to go to the trouble of doing such an application (particularly if they have a choice). In order to secure a work permit for a non-native English speaker your employer would need to prove that you can do the job and that a non-native English speaker from Taiwan can't. Governments in every country of the world have a responsibility to protect the rights of their citizens, and it would be difficult for your employer to prove that a second language learner from another country should have the right to a position that a second language learner from this country can undertake.
Be very careful in your job search. I certainly don't doubt the earlier post about there being non-native speakers teaching here, but I can almost guarantee that non of them are doing legally. If you research jobs you will likely get a job offer eventually, but I doubt that it would be in your best interests to actually take the position.
Probably a good way to check the validity of what I have stated above would be to contact some of the more reputable schools in Taiwan such as Hess, Joy, Kojen etc, or contact the Council of Labor Affairs directly.
Be very wary of any advice that suggests that you will have no problems when you get here as the comments from people in your position who have done this just doesn't bear this out. |