To teach English in Taiwan legally you need three things, in order: a work permit your employer applies for, a resident visa, and an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) from the National Immigration Agency. Language school teachers must be at least 20, hold a college qualification and teach 14 to 32 hours a week under Ministry of Labor rules.
This guide is part of our full series on how to teach English in Taiwan. Taiwan's system is orderly once you understand who does what, and most of the paperwork sits with your employer. Here is how it fits together.
Key takeaways
- Every foreign teacher needs a work permit, a resident visa and an ARC, and the employer starts the process.
- Full time language school (buxiban) teachers must be 20 or older, have graduated from college, and teach the official language of their passport country.
- A bachelor's degree is not strictly required for buxiban work if you hold a language teaching certificate, but public school roles do require one.
- Work permits for teachers in public and registered private schools have been handled by the Ministry of Education since 8 February 2018.
- The Taiwan Employment Gold Card combines a work permit, resident visa, ARC and re-entry permit, but its main salary route needs NT$160,000 a month.
Do you need a work visa to teach English in Taiwan?
Yes, you need a work permit and residence status to teach English in Taiwan legally, and in practice that means three documents. Your employer applies for a work permit, you then get a resident visa from a Taiwan office abroad, and once you arrive you apply for an Alien Resident Certificate, the ID card that proves you live and work in Taiwan legally. Expat Focus notes the ARC application should be made within 15 days of arrival.
Teaching on a visitor stay is not legal, and it is not worth the risk. Without an ARC you have no access to the National Health Insurance system and no protection if an employer fails to pay. Reputable schools will not ask you to start before your permit is in place.
What are the work permit rules for buxiban teachers?
The work permit rules for full time foreign teachers at Taiwan's cram schools, or buxibans, are set by the Ministry of Labor's Workforce Development Agency. According to its EZ Work Taiwan guidance, last updated on 29 October 2024, teachers must be at least 20 years old, have graduated from college or above, and teach the official language of the country on their passport.
| Requirement | Rule |
|---|---|
| Age | 20 or older |
| Education | College graduate or above; without a bachelor's degree, a language teaching qualification certificate is also required |
| Language | Must be the official language of the passport country |
| Weekly teaching hours | At least 14 hours, and no more than 32 in total |
| Two or more employers | At least 6 hours a week with each employer |
Your permit is issued for the school that applied for it, so changing jobs means a new permit from the new employer. Check that any school you consider is a registered cram school, because the employer's registration certificate is part of the application.
Can you teach English in Taiwan without a bachelor's degree?
You can teach English at a Taiwan language school without a bachelor's degree, but only if you have graduated from college and hold a language teaching qualification certificate, such as a TEFL. That rule comes from the Workforce Development Agency's criteria for full time cram school teachers. Public school roles through the government's TFETP program are stricter and require a bachelor's degree.
In practice, most language schools still prefer graduates, and some advertise a degree as a hard requirement. If you do not have a bachelor's, a recognized TEFL of at least 120 hours makes you a far stronger candidate. Our list of countries where you can teach English without a degree legally shows how Taiwan compares with other options.
How do you get a resident visa and ARC?
You get a resident visa and ARC in three steps. First, your employer files the work permit application with the Workforce Development Agency, or with the Ministry of Education for school teachers. Second, with the approved permit, you apply for a resident visa at a Taipei Economic and Cultural Office or other Taiwan mission abroad. Third, after you land, you apply for the ARC at the National Immigration Agency.
Documents produced overseas, such as degree certificates and police checks, generally need authentication by a Taiwan overseas mission before they are accepted, according to the National Immigration Agency's guidelines. Sort this out at home: it is far slower and more expensive to arrange once you are already in Taiwan.
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Who issues permits for public school teachers?
Work permits for teachers in Taiwan's public schools and registered private schools have been issued by the Ministry of Education, not the Ministry of Labor, since 8 February 2018. That includes teachers placed through the Taiwan Foreign English Teacher Program. The program requires a national police check issued within six months of your application, so time it carefully.
Our guide to the Taiwan Foreign English Teacher Program (TFETP) covers eligibility, pay and how to apply.
Taiwan Work Visa and ARC: How English Teachers Work Legally
Can English teachers get the Taiwan Gold Card?
Most English teachers cannot get the Taiwan Employment Gold Card, because its main salary route requires recent monthly pay of at least NT$160,000, about $5,031. The card bundles a work permit, resident visa, ARC and re-entry permit into one document and covers ten professional fields, including education. Experienced educators can qualify through the education field, for example after at least five years as a teacher or school administrator at that salary level.
Cards last one to three years, and the fee for most foreign applicants abroad runs from NT$3,700 to NT$5,700 depending on length, with higher fees for US passport holders. If you think you might qualify, the official Taiwan Gold Card Office has a qualification checker.
What documents should you prepare before you go?
Prepare your degree, any teaching certificates, a police check and your passport before you start applying, because almost every route asks for them. The list below covers what employers and the authorities most commonly need.
| Document | Why you need it | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Work permit, visa and ARC | Check it is valid well beyond your contract |
| Degree or college diploma | Work permit eligibility | Have it authenticated by a Taiwan office abroad |
| TEFL or other teaching certificate | Required without a bachelor's degree; preferred by most schools | Carry the original and authenticated copies |
| National police check | TFETP and many schools | For TFETP it must be issued within 6 months of applying |
| Signed employment contract | Work permit application | Must state job, salary and employment period |
Where does the visa fit in your Taiwan plan?
Your visa route is set by the job you take, so decide between language school and public school work first. Once you know which you are aiming for, read our guides to English teacher salaries in Taiwan and the cost of living in Taiwan. A recognized qualification makes every step easier, so start with our 120 hour online TEFL course or explore all our accredited TEFL courses.
