Recently, low birth rates and an aging society in Taiwan have
resulted in a drastic reduction in the workforce. In response, in
December 2015, the Executive Yuan decided to loosen the
restrictions on foreigners who intend to work in Taiwan.
Currently, foreigners who intend to work in Taiwan must meet
several requirements, including requirements regarding minimum
wages and higher education. Companies offering professional
positions in general must also meet the minimum capital
requirement. These rigid conditions have caused difficulties for
foreigners and in turn have reduced their willingness to work in
Taiwan.
The proposed changes replace the current rigid requirements with a
flexible "point system," where foreigners can apply for a
work visa in Taiwan based on the number of points that they earn.
Foreigners earn points by proving their expertise and bilingual
ability, while companies in Taiwan will be able to hire these
foreigners without meeting minimum capital requirements after the
changes are implemented. These changes are in line with similar
changes in other modern Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea,
and Singapore.
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