OFW 1st Episode: Taiwan, Republic of China

I did not know it was harder than I expected August. 2005

Taiwan was my very 1st destination abroad and as an OFW Factory Worker (2005) that lasted for 7 days only due to homesickness. My work had 12 hours duty a day with 1 day off only a week. I went home despite the debts my mother had made just to complete this Taiwan journey. I came from a failed IT career when I accepted this OFW stuff. Imagine my thoughts I went home jobless, with zero savings and lots of debt because of my stupidity. 

Taiwan also known in the past, as Formosa, is an island or island group in the western Pacific Ocean located off the southeast coast of mainland China. Taiwan's rapid economic growth in the decades after World War II has transformed it into an industrialized developed country and one of the Four Asian Tigers. Its advanced technology industry plays a key role in the global economy. Taiwanese companies manufacture a large portion of the world's consumer electronics, although most of them are now made in their factories in mainland China. Taiwan's economy is export-driven. Most of its exports are high-tech computer parts and electronics such as cell phones and LCD panels. Improved living standards, capital and technology intensive industries opened the gates for OFWs, both legal and illegal. Taiwan is gaining from the recovery of the world economy. The growing exports of cell phones, flat screens, computer chips and other electronics goods need factory workers in the electronics industry. Thousands of jobs await Filipino workers.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan

alien resident certificate in taiwan (china)

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I worked here as a factory chemist with a salary similar to any ordinary entry-level factory worker across the country for a typical OFW. I've decided to resigned due to discrepancy of my work to the contract that was offered. since i was already in their country, to expedite my departure, I just told them its a homesickness, which actually it was. homesickness really kills me that time.

Moreover, for those OFW travelers who have been worked in Taiwan, read this...

"The nationals of India, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, who also possess a valid visa or permanent residence certificate issued by U.S.A., Canada, Japan, U.K., Schengen Convention countries, Australia or New Zealand are eligible for the visa exemption program, which permits a duration of stay up to 30 days. Those who meet the above qualification and have never been employed in Taiwan as blue-collar workers, have to apply to the “Advance Online Registration System for the Visitors of Nationals from Five Southeast Asian Countries to Taiwan” of National Immigration Agency for Entry Permit before coming to Taiwan. Upon completion, the printed confirmation is used to validate the traveler during the boarding and the immigration check. During the immigration check, travelers who can not show a valid visa or permanent resident visa issued by one of the aforementioned countries will not be admitted into the country."
source: http://www.immigration.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=1090149&ctNode=30085&mp=2

Like most of the Filipino's, I worked as a blue collar type here in Taiwan.

To validate if your name is on Taiwan immigration database...
https://nas.immigration.gov.tw/nase/ctlr?PRO=PRO_Task12Application

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