Frequently Asked Questions
Are there winter and summer camps? And if not, would I have to be on campus the full 8 hours?
During winter and summer breaks, you will have to be in school during working hours, either for teaching or for preparing classes. There might be some camps. Usually winter camps last 2-3 days and summer camps last 3-4 days.
How many days of holiday do I have?
You will get the public holidays off and get 10 days of paid leave per year.
I have a lot of teaching experience, will it get me a higher salary?
The New Taipei City government only recognizes experience in a NTPC public school towards a higher salary.
Will I be able to find accommodation nearby the school?
Local coordinators from Teach Taiwan will assist in finding accommodation for you. Normally it will be within walking distance. If not, it will be reachable by bus.
What is the actual salary after all taxes?
As for the tax, the first 6 months you will have to pay 18%. This will be deducted from your salary by the school. Starting from the 7th month you only have to pay 5% of tax. If in that year you have stayed for longer than 183 days in Taiwan, you can get a tax refund of 13% for the first 6 months. This is a cycle that repeats every year starting from January.
What are the teaching hours?
Since I'm currently unemployed, will the school pay the rent upfront?
You will get a housing stipend of 5000 NT per month. However, schools will not pay your salary up front. Coordinators will help you negotiate about the deposit with the landlord.
How much money should I prepare before coming to Taiwan?
Since you will only get paid after the first month of working, we suggest you bring around 1500 USD to pay for rent, deposit and daily expenses.
How is the appartment searching conducted when the foreign teacher arrives? Will I have to stay in a hotel first?
You will have to provide your budget and preferences (kitchen, rooms, …). The coordinator will find a few options (2-3) around a week before your arrival. If you don’t like the options, you will have to stay in a hotel first (own cost) and look for an apartment yourself (with local help).
Is there a maximum number of overtime hours I can be assigned per week?
Normally you don't have to work overtime. Your contract states that you will have to work 40 hours a week. If in exceptional circumstances you are asked to work overtime, e.g. during a school event, the overtime pay rate is NT$450 per 45 minute period for junior high schools and NT 500-550 per 50 minute period for senior high schools.
How long are breaks between class periods?
10-15 minutes.
When are the school holidays?
Winter break (2-3 weeks around Chinese New Year), summer break (July-august) and public holidays.
Is there a teaching plan or do I have to come up with the teaching material?
There will be a year curriculum, but how that is implemented is up to the teacher.
Will I get my ARC, visa, police declaration, work permit,... reimbursed?
Personal documents are for your own cost. Work permit is paid for by the school.
When will I be required to land in Taiwan?
The coordinator will discuss your starting date with you. This will depend on the status of your work permit.