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進入《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》Cabinet approves revising rules on foreign workers
By Shih Hsiu-chuan / Staff reporter
The Cabinet yesterday approved revising rules on the hiring of foreign nationals to build a friendlier work environment by loosening regulations and imposing heavier penalties on employers for illegal hiring practices.
The amendment to the Employment Service Act （就業服務法） drafted by the Ministry of Labor was adopted by the Cabinet yesterday and is to be sent to the legislature for review.
To address one of the key human rights issues facing migrant workers — employers confiscating passports or other documents — the amendment unambiguously prohibits such confiscation.
The proposed revision to Article 5 of the act states that employers are banned from asking workers or jobseekers to surrender identification documents, work permits or other documents that contain personal information unrelated to the employment concerned.
However, exemptions are possible because it states that the rule would not apply to employers who “have good reasons” to confiscate the documents.
Under the existing act, employers are banned from withholding the documents of their employees or jobseekers “against their free will.”
Some of the proposed revisions aim to loosen restrictions on employment of professionals from overseas, including an article that would allow more distinguished foreign academics to work in the country legally without work permits.
According to the proposed rule, a foreigner employed at a public or registered private college or university, or a foreigner whose academic research is recognized by the Ministry of Education, is not required to apply for a work permit.
At present only foreign academics hired by a public or registered private college or university staying in Taiwan for no more than six months are eligible for the “no work permit” qualification.
If the amendment is passed, missionaries would also be allowed to visit for religious missions, on either a visitor visa or a resident visa issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, without having to apply for a work permit.
Meanwhile, the amendment would increase penalties on illegal labor brokers and people who illegally employ foreign workers or shelter illegal workers.
Violators would face a fine of between NT$300,000 （US$10,000） and NT$1.5 million, up from NT$10,000 to NT$500,000.
A second violation of the rules within five years would incur imprisonment of up to five years, compared with the one year stipulated under current law.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
