Taipei, Jan. 13 (CNA) New initiatives intended to make Taiwan more appealing to foreign proffesional to took effect this month, as stated by the National Development Council (NDC) on Tuesday.
Under the new policies, foreign students of Taiwanese universities are allowed to student to do work in Taiwan without need of work permit for two years after graduation, the NDC said in its explainer materials.
Additionally, foreign internationals who have gotten degrees from top-200 universities in the last five years are also able to apply for two year open work permit.
Before the changes, such graduates were required to get a work permit through a point-based system or secure sponsorship from a Taiwanese company to work legally in Taiwan.
Also, in a measure designed to accelerate permanent residency, foreign citizens who earned an undergraduate, master’s, or doctoral degree in Taiwan can reduce one, two, or three years in that order from the five-year working residency requirement.
In addition, non-Taiwanese individuals classified as “foreign specialist professionals,” who satisfy specific income or experience requirements, may apply for permanent residence after only one year in Taiwan in certain cases.
The spouses of foreign specialist professionals are now eligible to work in Taiwan independently, instead of relying on an employer-backed permit.
Other measures make it easier for foreign professionals to access Taiwan’s pension and employment insurance program.
Non-permanent resident foreign professionals will be eligible to participate in Taiwan’s new labor pension system, while foreigners with permanent residency can access the employment insurance program.
For the first time, foreign professionals will be able to access disability and long-term care services starting June 30, but only for permanent residents with 10 years of residence.
The new policies, incorporated in an amendment to the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals enacted last year, were outlined by NDC and agency officials at a Taipei media briefing on Tuesday.
At the event, NDC Deputy Minister Jan Fang-guan of Taiwan has offered foreign nationals with easier options, including a visa, residency, work, and tax benefits, since the act first came into effect in February 2018.
Accordingly, the number of foreign professionals was increased in Taiwan from around 30,000 to nearly 80,000, Jan said.
The amendments, covering professional careers, family life, and retirement in Taiwan, aim to ensure a positive work environment and a fulfilling life for foreign professionals, Jan said.
