The Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) has announced that the Taiwan government has decided to extend the length of stay of migrant workers from nine (9) years to twelve (12) years, following Taiwan parliament ™s approval of the amendment of Articles 52 and 55 of the Employment Service Act extending the cumulative period that migrant workers are allowed to work in Taiwan. The government ™s decision was in response to appeals from local families employing foreign workers (Caretakers, Domestic Helpers, Factory Workers, Nursing Aide and Fisherman) who were affected by the limitation.

The new law however, will not increase the quota for the hiring of foreign workers since the hiring policies for foreign workers were not eased. Its main benefit is that it allows foreign migrants longer period of time to work in Taiwan. It also reduced the penalty for late payment of contribution to the Employment Stability Fund from 1% interest to 0.3% to ease the financial burden of the employers.

There are approximately 200,000 Southeast Asians, most of them from Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines, employed as caregivers and household service workers while the rest are in the manufacturing sector according to the council.


Adopted: 15 February 2012


(SGD.) HANS LEO J. CACDAC
Administrator