Hi Guys,

Good day! I just got an offer for an engineering position in Kaohsiung, TW. This is a MNC company in semiconductor industry and is offering me to go over to be based in KH,TW. I would expect an "expat package" to be offered. Unfortunately, this is a "local hire" that turning me down for most of the benefits that one would entitle especially like a foreigner like me to go over there. There are a few things that puzzling me of my decision to accept/decline the offer. I am married with 2 kids. My elder kid is 6 yo and will be boarding into standard 1 next year and the youngest is 3 yo. My wife is still working at home right now and I guess once we all moved there, she will still be able to wfh at all time.

Few things that puzzling me right now:

1. If it is not an expat package, this offer does not provide like housing allowance. I believe the house rental, typical studio types like 500-600 sqft size would easily hit NT$20,000. I would definitely need to count into my monthly paycheck.

2. Kid education fee is not covered. I am concerning about where would my kid be boarding into the public elementary school or international school? Are all the public schools in TW allowing the international enrollment? How's my kid education would be going on if later we come back to Malaysia?

3. How's the payable tax impose for foreigner holding a valid working permit? If not mistaken it is about 18%. I will need to pay this tax.

4. How's the insurance coverage or medical coverage of my family? I guess most of the MNC do provide subsidiary to the immediate dependents. Is that really sufficient to cover that?

What's your thoughts or inputs are all welcomed!

Thanks!

This is what I am considering to go there alone first maybe like 6-9 months. If everything goes well then will move my whole family there. Definitely, I would prefer to have my whole family to stay with me. That's true, for a foreigner like us, everything is expensive. The most concerning parts are still my kid education fee. I would not want my kids to suffer later if we decide to move back to Malaysia. It is hard to pick up the syllabus if it is not in an international school.

Are you saying that 15-25k expat package mean the initial startup settling down allowance or some other benefits?

Rental is Kaohsiung should be around NT$20000 = RM3000 a typical condo around 500-600 sqft. The education fee is the part that concerning me. If international school per semester is already NT$200000 = RM 30000. If 2 semesters in one calendar year I need to spend like RM60000. If go to public school I am worrying the syllabus is different when we come back later to Malaysia.

Are you residing in TW currently?

I have total 4 person in my family. RM5k for house rental is really a lot there. I would expect to be like RM3k range but not more than RM3.5k. I am worrying all will scaled to my monthly salary then no point of moving there since I have a quite good of living here in Malaysia.

That's my main concern of kid education. I don't want them to suffer later if situation will be changed and end up the whole family will be moving back to Malaysia. Syllabus wise will be different.

I am not actively looking for oversea opportunities but if there is the opportunity, why not? The hunter came to me and we have gone thru all the stages until they are offering now. But this is a local hire offer, I don't think it is worth that way.

Nope, not yet the final figures. Just said not offering an expat package and see whether I am interested to move forward.

Yes, I have been there for vacation once.