Work

When you arrive in a foreign country, the costs of getting there can be significant. Sometimes to such an extent that they don't allow us to fully enjoy the stay. When such a situation arises, it becomes crucial to be able to adapt ourselves.

This was all the more true when I left, in October 2020, still in the infernal spiral of Covid 19. This virus has made our lives hard and while for some a departure was not possible at all, for others the need to continue life was stronger than anything else. I had invested all my euros in transport and quarantine. I had only one month left to find solutions. I went through a lot of different paths : spontaneous applications, Facebook groups and ads, modeling agency, casting films/series, etc. I met many dead ends, but with perseverance, I finally found several options.

French tutor

The possibility of teaching French as a mother tongue is very widely conceivable. Many people will be interested and if you combine boldness, perseverance, providence, then you will get MORE than correct rates to survive ! Just to give you an idea, the hourly rate can vary from 300 to 1000NTD (9 to 30€). For my part, I managed to position myself on 800NTD (20€)/hour for each of my students in face-to-face (with an optional coffee). Unfortunately, Covid arrived in Taiwan in May 2021, I finally lost those students and had to rebuild a fully online customer base.

On ultra-competitive platforms I had to lower my rate... but the greater number of students allowed me to compensate ! 🙏 The platform I’ve been using the most since the start is called “Preply.” A VERY well-designed website for teaching ! There is a dedicated space for the tutor, a shared screen during the lessons with a chat, notes and board, a loyalty system rewarding the number of lessons given and much more ! If you are considering Teaching option, Preply is your most reliable and effective ally. All from home ! For english, italian, spanish, korean, etc... people, know that it will also be possible to teach your own language there !

Model

One of the niches I didn’t really believe in at the beginning, but it has to be said that here, the foreign profile is very sought after ! I’m not particularly “handsome” and yet, I found my place in this world with, for example, a commercial ad for Acer ! I don’t think I’m allowed to speak publicly about the specific pay. However, know that it pays VERY well, count one month of part-time pay out for only 10-12h of work ! Long story short, it’s the kind of job that makes you feel great in just one mission a month. To find this kind of work, the easiest way is to go through an international model agency. On the other hand, it is quite possible to take the lead and approach companies yourself !

Restaurant employee

If you don’t have a great chinese, it’s one of the safest and most stable options to get by in Taiwan. However, this option will takes up a large part of your time depending on your need for money... Because here the minimum wage is 160NTD*/hour. Often you will be given the “increase” carrot (180/hour), which is expected to appear after a few months or after training. But as a matter of fact... without a correct level of Mandarin, it doesn’t always happen. I personally spent 6 months in the same company and except the increase in the minimum wage (158 -> 160/hour between 2020 and 2021), I didn’t see the color of my higher salary. Anyway, this option offers some advantages :

• Spirit tranquility because regular and stable incomes

• Much fuller integration into the everyday life of Taiwanese people, including the discovery of ways to do and to be

• Progressive improvement, even fast sometimes in Mandarin because dived directly into a Chinese environment

• Stronger social ties with locals, participation in corporate events, bar outings with colleagues, etc.

*NTD = New Taiwanese Dollar, local money ( 100NTD = 3€, at the moment )

Sports coach

This is a super interesting niche if you love sports ! Unfortunately, that possibility came to me much too late ... I was contacted by a sports center (GDS, Glory Days Sports) and was about to work for them, as a basketball coach. The principle was simple, I give them two-three free sessions to train me in their work method, then I get paid 300NTD/hour. To make it short, a job with a really good salary (allowing you to take more free time) and whose main task is to share time with local children (who ALL speak English). If you love sports and children, contact sports centers !

Document correction/translation

This type of position has several advantages : you can work from home, plan your own schedule and work at your own pace. Remuneration can be significant and not time-dependent, it is linked to the quantity produced. In other words, if you are productive you will have plenty of free time and a very comfortable salary ! (0.01 and 0.03 US$*/word)

Many companies seek documents translation (reports, surveys, fact sheets, etc.). You can also use your network to find such missions. There are a significant number of individuals in the application. If you work in a company you will have more stability, if you work for individuals you will have more control over your time. I have personally had the opportunity to work for individuals through my network. However, to date, I haven't managed to integrate a company.

*US$ or USD : United States dollar ( 1USD = 0,80€, at the moment)

Services to individuals

Once, through my network, I found a person looking for a building painter. The goal was to repaint a new apartment, but the client didn't want to hire a company because of the cost of labor. So I managed to convince him to let me do it, in return of .... free meals ! Yes, my situation was precarious, I really didn’t have a lot of money and any help was welcome ! This anecdote is a testament to the fact that it is quite possible, when you have a good network, to find small jobs with services to individuals. Sometimes the salary is not always in money, it can also be in services. Don’t hesitate to make researches on Facebook groups, "services to individuals" websites or the network you’ll build up over time ! (Cf. Tools/Tips)

This is a non-exhaustive selection, it is intended to guide you in the search in case you have a profile similar to mine. A freshly arrived foreigner, not able to speak Mandarin, but proficient in English. Others jobs are of course possible in this configuration, don’t confine yourself to what people tell you 😉