《TAIPEI TIMES》 Taiwan to ease foreign student work restrictions

SOLUTION: There is no longer to be a limit on the number of students able to work under the scoring criteria system, as it was discouraging employers

By Esme Yeh / Staff writer, with CNA

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Taiwan is to loosen work restrictions for foreign and “overseas compatriot” students before the end of August to allow them to work in mid-level skilled positions in the travel and hospitality industry after graduation, the Ministry of Labor said yesterday.

Foreign and overseas compatriot students have become an important source of labor, as National Development Council data show that Taiwan is facing an estimated shortage of 400,000 workers by 2030, Workforce Development Agency Chief Secretary Chen Shih-chang （陳世昌） said in a report.

The students have been allowed to do an internship or work part-time, and have a white-collar job after graduating if they meet Taiwan’s scoring criteria, he said.

Under the amended policy, they would also be able to take mid-level skilled jobs, he said.

Foreign and overseas compatriot students with an associate degree or higher could apply for jobs such as room attendants, reservation agents, receptionists, sanitation workers and waiters in the hospitality industry, Chen said.

Jobs in the tourism industry open to foreign and overseas compatriot students would limited to managerial positions, ministry official Chuang Kuo-liang （莊國良） said.

Existing policy for mid-level skilled workers prescribes that such jobs must pay at least the minimum wage and meet professional requirements, he said.

This has not yet been determined, but a minimum monthly wage of NT$33,000 could be considered for mid-level skilled laborers in the manufacturing industry, Chuang said.

Meanwhile, the ministry would cancel the limit on the number of students allowed to work in Taiwan under the scoring criteria system, Chen said.

The Overseas Community Affairs Council and students have reported that the system discouraged employers from hiring foreign and overseas compatriot students, as they were worried they would be unable to work in Taiwan because of the quota, even though it was increased each year before it was reached, he said.

In line with National Development Council’s policy objective of employing 200,000 foreign and overseas compatriot students in Taiwan by 2030, there are plans to change legislation to allow them to apply for work permits, Chen said.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES