How to get a Taiwan Working Holiday Visa (for all nationalities)

The Working Holiday Visa (WHV) is an excellent option for young adults to explore and earn money in Taiwan. Participants can stay for up to 1 year, during which they can freely travel around Taiwan and take jobs to fund their experiences.

The government of Taiwan has signed accords with many countries. Eligible are young adults between:

• 18 and 30 years old from: Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, the United Kingdom
• 18 and 35 years old from: Canada, Hungary, Luxembourg, Slovakia
• 18 and 34 years old from: South Korea
• 18 and 26 years old from: the Czech Republic

Source

Applicant eligibility:

• Must hold a valid passport from an eligible country
• Must be within the age range (inclusive) set for your nationality
• Must be in your country of citizenship for the application and issuance of your visa*
• Must not be accompanied by any dependents during your stay in Taiwan
• Must not have previously taken part in Taiwan’s working holiday program

*Exception: As of January 1 2019, Canadians can apply for a WHV while already in Taiwan. Source

Program description and rules for BRITISH nationals:

The agreement between Taiwan and the UK differs slightly from others.

• Your WHV allows you to stay in Taiwan for up to one year and is not renewable.
• You are not subject to any work restrictions. Source
• Once you obtain your visa, you have 3 months to enter Taiwan and “activate” your working holiday. Source
• You must apply for an ARC and a re-entry permit at a National Immigration Agency local service center within 15 days of the day after the date of entry. Without a re-entry permit, you may not re-enter Taiwan after leaving it. Source

Program description and rules for ALL OTHER nationals:

• Your WHV allows you to stay in Taiwan for up to one year and is not renewable.
• Once you obtain your visa, you have 12 months to enter Taiwan to “activate” your working holiday.
• When you first enter Taiwan, you will only be granted 180 days. Within 15 days of expiration of these 180 days, you can request an extension of another 180 days at your nearest National Immigration Agency service centre.
• Work restrictions apply to some nationalities (source):
  – Australians: you cannot work more than 6 months for the same employer
  – Canadians: no limit
  – Germans: you cannot work more than 3 months for the same employer
  – Irish: no limit
  – New Zealanders: you cannot work more than 3 months for the same employer
• Your WHV will be a multiple-entry visa, which means you can freely leave and re-enter the country. Attention: the 12 months of free movement starts on the date of visa issuance, NOT upon your first entry into Taiwan. So for the most flexibility, we recommend that you don’t wait too long to enter the country after receiving your WHV.

Source

If you meet the eligibility criteria and also can commit to respecting the program’s rules, then keep reading to learn how to apply.

If you are French or Belgian, please see our detailed application guide for French and Belgians (written in French).
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