An amendment to the Employment Service Act, canceling the requirement for migrant workers to exit Taiwan after working for three years will come into force on Saturday, benefiting as many as 14,000 blue-collar foreign workers, domestic helpers and caregivers each year.
The reform is aimed at cutting the waiting period for employers and saving migrant workers in brokerage and other fees.
Under the previous laws, migrant workers are required to exit the island every three years, with those receiving professional training and demonstrating “exemplary service” permitted for an extension of up to 14 years.
This requirement has meant high costs for migrant workers, since it meant that they needed to pay brokerage fees each time they re-enter Taiwan, entailing a personal cost of NT$80,000 to NT$150,000 every three years.
