For many Asians, Canada is a perfect place for emigration and living. It seems Canada have better air condition, safer food, better protection and technological development, and higher salaries. But in the eyes of Aaron, who comes from Toronto, he thinks that his homeland is just a boring, tedious, and maybe a little “backward” city comparing to Asian cities. He loves Asian culture and believes that Taiwan is more suitable for living comparing to China, Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, and other countries in Southeastern Asia. “I really love Taiwan, but it is hard to stay here.” He said.
Aaron loves Asian anime and movie culture since he was young, especially John Woo’s movies. He said that many foreigners like him are always wanted to go to Asia and see what the city is like where Chou Yun Fat lived. They wish to understand what kind of feeling they might felt when you are in the city of the movie “Hard Boiled”. Just a few years after graduated from high school, Aaron went to China in 2005 teaching English in a cram school for three years. This made him more certain that he wished to stay in Asia.
In 2008, Aaron went to study Asia Pacific Study in the department of Political Science in University of Toronto to organize the phenomenon he observed in China systematically. In 2012, he received scholarship from University of Toronto to let him research social enterprises in Taiwan. He became a Political Officer in Canadian trade office in Taipei in charge of writing research reports on Taiwanese politics, economy and culture for Ottawa. Later on he became a special correspondent in Taipei Times. When he was applying for working visa, Officials in Taiwan refused his request saying that they do not recognized his experience working in China because he had not studied in University back then. This astonished him so much.
Despite having plenty of working and academic experiences and highly interests on civil society, it was not easy for Aaron to stay in Taiwan. “I like Taiwan and want to see the whole election season. But I can only stay for three months. It was painful, you cannot find a good job in such a short time. I felt that Taiwan had rejected me.” At last, like many foreigners, Aaron managed to stay through marriage. Then he started to perform his professional skills on work.
Recalling these stories and comparing the recent news that Taiwanese government is going to implement new policies regarding recruiting international talents, Aaron said that the draft seems good enough and he is looking forward to it. However, he do express no optimistic on the whole thing. He pointed that, “The core problem is that Taiwanese officials believe foreigners must have the same study and working experiences as Taiwanese. Job is for those who finished their high school and college degree. They evaluate them under such criteria. But it is not usually among foreigners and talented persons.”
Aaron emphasized that In Canada and America, they actually don’t value Master degree so high. The real thing now is that stop wasting time on Master degrees, because it helps only a little when you try to find a good job. There is even a two year college you can attend. It is better than four year college when you are finding jobs because working experience is more important. That is what makes them professionals. “If they still value school degrees so high, I think they can hardly find any talented persons.”
“Gaming industries are booming now. Many of them are great professionals in gaming field after high school. I have a friend just like that. He used to work as game test engineer in China and Canada. But he came to Taiwan because he had a Taiwanese girlfriend. He didn’t know how to a job after he moved in Taiwan because he had no college degree.”
Aaron said that Taiwanese officials sometimes are just so stubborn. They overly emphasized document evaluation, degrees and other formalities. Also, they are used to apply standards for Taiwanese on people coming from other cultures and countries. It really just narrowing the definition of talented persons. If Taiwan really wants to compete in global market, it is not a good thing.
And it is not just the government, even for private companies also. Take applying a cellphone for example. Old law stated that foreigners need to present passport with other documents to apply cellphone. New regulation stated that one can use residency card instead of passport. But Aaron said when he actually brought his residency card to apply, the phone company refuse his application. “They do not care laws and regulations. They just say it is the rule repeatedly even there is a new regulation released.” Not just in phone companies, there are many problems in financial companies also. Aaron said that Taiwanese companies actually care nothing about government regulations. It actually caused many troubles for foreigners living here. When he spoke of caring nothing about regulations, it includes employers often violated the NT$47,971 minimum wages when hiring foreign white-collar workers, they will use many reason to hatch their salaries.
When discussing issues about foreign white-collar workers, many believe that Taiwanese paycheck is just too low for foreign whit collars to come. However, Aaron said, “To speak frankly, salaries is really not much in Taiwan, but actually many people are acceptable about it.” He said that even many foreigners’ jobs in Taiwan are English teacher with a humble paycheck, yet it is the most convenient way to get a working visa formally. These people are often with high-level working abilities and academic degrees. It is not like those who said, “Even a foreign loser can teach English in Taiwan.” Just like what said above, Aaron believes that if you can let foreigners understand and love Taiwan, salaries are not that big a problem to overcome.
“Some may teach English while find their spare time doing something they liked. Many foreigners teach English here because it is the easiest way to get working visas. Not much of obstacles and no requirements on Master degrees or other working experiences. What you need to become an English teacher is to have a two year college degree. It is the only way if you want to stay. It didn’t mean they are losers being an English teacher. I know many foreigners have good jobs in America and Canada. They probably lived in small cities and had a good paycheck but doing boring jobs and lived a boring life. But if you come to Taipei, life begins to be more colorful, a life of extremely cosmopolitan, a life living in glamour. They come to Asia for this. If you lived in Canada or America, you will have an impression that big cities in Asia are like this. Fast living pace, countless skyscrapers, delicious food, and interesting cultures. They may have dreamt for a whole life to come to these place.”
“What people in Taiwan don’t understand is that foreigners living here are actually loving here. If they had a chance to get a Taiwanese passport, they would gladly take the chance. If you go to Korea, China or Hong Kong and talk with foreigners living there, they certainly will complaint a lot to you. But it always surprise me that most foreigners living here are actually very happy and love here. That is the part I think Taiwan is great about. Although Taiwanese don’t know how to attract foreigners to come, but when they come they will grow to love this place through time and will try to stay. I am not the only example. You can search on YouTube, many foreigners had made videos saying how great Taiwan is. However, if they need to find legal ways to stay, it is not that easy.
Aaron said that problems cannot be solved by merely laws or policies alone. In addition to promote better working environment and enforcing laws, you must let more foreigners to know and understand Taiwan regarding on issues about recruiting foreign talents. You must count on your soft power to increase their interest of living here. If that can be done, then the problems regarding working conditions will probably be more acceptable.
“Many young people want get internship in Asia. But everyone thinks of China due to its enormous market. It is hard to attract young people to come for internship unless you are famous, which Taiwan is not. If there is a financial internship hiring, where will they pick between China and Taiwan? They don’t even know Taiwan. So you need more incentives.”
Aaron spoke of an example. Taiwanese seldom pay attention on foreign artists whom they see with no particular production value. But that is actually the key to let Europeans and Americans to know Taiwan. He has a friend living here for many years shooting photos about ruins in Taiwan and running a famous blog. Many foreigners only heard about Taiwan through his blog and dubbed him “Ambassador of Taiwan”. However, such artist still need to leave every three months without being noticed by locals.
“These foreign artists are more useful then diplomatic allies since they have influences on internet. They can help Taiwan to be known in the world while building better international status to attract people to come. You need to have these people to help you publicize when attracting high-level employees. People will google whether Taiwan is a suitable place to work. Many had written their opinion but not from those high class foreigners in Taiwan. So you see, Taiwan really need those people who love Taiwan and understand social media. Those who loved Taiwan will stay and will not go to other Asian countries because it is cozy living here. After you lived in Taiwan, you won’t get used to China and Japan. You will feel Japanese polite is really phony after a month of living.
