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Goodbye Taiwan

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 As I am pretty certain anyone following along has noticed, I did not quite enjoy my time in Taiwan (understatement). When I first decided to relocate to Taiwan, part of my assumption was that if things did not work out, I would be able to relocate elsewhere in Asia or Europe without the need to return first. This turned out to not be a possibility. As a result of this, and issues when exiting I thought it would be appropriate to write about my exit adventure, so that others are forewarned should their stay in Taiwan prove to not meet expectations. At the time of writing this I have already been out of Taiwan for 3 months. Trying to relocate elsewhere and the barriers Taiwan erects: Here are some of the countries I tried to get long tern visas for and the reasons I was not able to get them: Cambodia - offers one of the easiest paths to obtaining residency with very low requirements. However, as Cambodia is fully aligned with China, there are no embassies or trade offices in Taiwan ...
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Scooter license in Taiwan

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 Now that I have gone through the scooter license process I thought I would share my experience and the process. I would first like to mention that if you have a car and scooter license or either of from your home country, you may be able to exchange it for a local license quite easily. First you will need to check whether there is a reciprocity agreement in place by going here . It isn't done on a country by country level for the most part, instead it is based on individual states provinces, territories etc. For instance a California license cannot be exchanged. Unlike what I was told when I tried to exchange my license I was told they would take my home license from me, and as such I decided against exchanging it. I tried at two different offices and both told me the same thing. They were adamant that they would not let me keep my existing license. Now for the driver's license process and how I did it. As I live in Banqiao I completed the entire process at Banqiao Motor Vehic...
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Setting up a virtual remote company - part 3

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 hopefully you have enjoyed the first two posts on how to set up a virtual business. This last post will focus strictly on those apps and services that maximize your security and privacy.  In the digital world that we live in today, one can't escape the focus on data breaches and ransomware attacks. The following are items that were discussed in the previous two posts, that will now be included strictly for data protection and security purposes. Let's start with the basics - your internet connection and how to secure it: Router - adding a router creates an additional barrier to accessing your hardware and the data stored on it. You can set a list of devices that can connect to your router by limiting them to devices authorized by you utilizing their unique MAC addresses VPN - layered on top of a router creates an additional layer of protection, by spoofing your IP address and also letting you choose your location IP to access services and websites that you cannot access withou...
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Setting up a virtual remote company - part 2

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 If you have read the first post which can be found here, this one will provide you with options on how to create a fully virtual environment, that is not hardware dependent, and adds additional layers of security. virtual desktop applications - aka sas and remote workstation Virtual desktop applications, allow you to run your a virtual machine by using any browser. This gives you full flexibility as a you can use any computer attached to the internet with a browser to do work from from. Any desktop applications that you use get installed onto the virtual machine, and nothing is stored or installed on your physical computer. There are quite a few providers out there, and you should select one that provides you the machine you require at the best price. Some providers are: Amazon WorkSpaces Microsoft Virtual Desktop Citrix V2 Cloud Nutanix Cloud storage Why invest in bulky external hard drives and security when you can have it all through a cloud solution accessible from anywhere in...
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Setting up a virtual remote company - part 1

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 As there seems to be considerable interest in setting up a remote virtual company in the current environment I thought it would be timely to discuss the necessary and optional components. I myself run a company fully virtually and advise my business clients on how to achieve the same ability for their business. Please note that some of these solutions are not available in Taiwan, and as such you will either need to sign up for these services outside of Taiwan and get creative on how to make them work for Taiwan. Please note that the solutions I list are not comprehensive, and there are many other options available. As with anything reliant on technology, security and data protection is a crucial component. Some of the topics that will be discussed over these posts are: Virtual office and shared office space Computer hardware Voip and communication tools Banking Remote desktop application Cloud storage VPN Client cloud portals Password manager Accounting and payroll systems CRM and...
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Why Taiwan may be right or wrong for you

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 After a lot of deliberation, and with a bit of inspiration from a fellow gold card holder who's post can be found here , I have decided to write a post about whether you will find Taiwan suitable to you. Please note, that the following are my own views and observations, and you should always try to seek as many opinions as possible before deciding whether Taiwan is for you. I have personally found that Taiwan is not the place for me, so if you are looking for a post that will affirm your decision to relocate to Taiwan, you may want to find an alternate blog, or perhaps you may decide my reasons are not a deterrent for yourself. Before I get into details, there are a few cultural differences that I would like to highlight: Taiwan is #1 - there is a mindset in Taiwan held by both locals and foreigners that Taiwan is the #1 place on earth, despite a lack of immigration or anything else to suggest it is indeed #1. This applies to handling of Covid, living standards, healthcare, educat...
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Taiwan Tax - part 3 Taiwan tax on income

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This post is based on the information provided in the previous two posts, and relates towards those earning employment income in Taiwan under three scenarios, as a self employed individual with a business operating in Canada and providing services within Canada only. I will provide minimal discussion on those that work through a wholly owned corporation in Canada, that provides services within Canada only as this is likely the most complicated situation of all.  For the following, it is assumed the individual is a Canadian permanent resident or citizen. Please note that this post is general in nature and is not meant to be taken as tax advice. One should always consult with a tax professional to discuss one's specific tax situation. First with respect to employment income, the discussion will be based on the following three scenarios: Working remotely in their home countries, and have relocated on their own to work remotely from Taiwan Sent by their employer to work in ...
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