#Official limbo rules series

In addition to having a college degree, foreign English teachers must also obtain proof they don’t have a criminal record. They can legally hold more than one job at a time, and companies can hire them without doing extra paperwork.Īsked why he doesn’t seek an English-teaching job, which would give him working permission (limited to one designated employer) and access to Taiwan’s National Health Insurance program, Frazier says that he didn’t finish college. “It’d be awesome to have health insurance and a work permit,” says Frazier.įoreign spouses with residency enjoy broad working rights. What’s more, he points out, because many countries have closed their borders to non-citizens and so many flights have been cancelled, it’s by no means certain he’d be able to visit a Taiwan representative office overseas in order to apply for a visitor visa. They’re willing to keep giving extensions, but eventually your passport will expire,” he says.

“It makes no sense to leave if you’re already here.

When I say, ‘Yes, we’re grateful - but I need a work permit and I don’t want to risk not being allowed back in Taiwan, or bringing the virus into the country,’ she tells me it’s not her problem and those are the rules,” says Frazier. “The same official keeps telling us that the extension is generous enough, and that we should be thankful and not complain.

#Official limbo rules series

However, he’s been able to stay in Taiwan legally, because the government has announced a series of automatic extensions.

A check-in hall at Bangkok’s main airport is mostly deserted yesterday due to ongoing lockdown measures.įrazier points out that foreign nationals coming to Taiwan to work don’t have to fly out and reenter before switching from visa-exempt entry to residency, and he can’t think of a good reason why foreigners married to Taiwanese should be required to incur the cost of a trip to another country and take the risk of catching COVID-19.įrazier’s original visa-exempt entry privilege expired in May last year.