National Development Council News Release

Warm and lively atmosphere at successful get-together of Employment Gold Card holders, organized by the National Development Council

Date of issue: September 17, 2020
Issuing agency: National Development Council

Minister Kung, Ming-Hsin has officially announced that the National Development Council has been working on revision of the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals in the event “National Development Council 1 Day Yilan Cultural Trip and Evening Reception” on 11th September, 2020. The draft of the Amendment Act was issued on 14th September, and was given priority by the Executive Yuan. The main focuses of revision include:

  1. Relaxing work permit regulations: exempting graduates of the world’s top 500 universities from the 2-year work experience requirement to work in Taiwan; allowing not only English teacher but also foreign subject teachers at primary or high school to be employed in Taiwan.
  2. Loosening permanent residence regulations: shortening the required length of continuous residence for foreign special professionals from 5 to 3 years; counting the period of studying for a master’s degree or higher in Taiwan into the calculation of the period of continuous residence.
  3. Optimizing welfare safeguards: exempting foreign special professionals and foreign senior professionals who are employers or self-employed owners of business and their dependents from a prior full 6 months residence requirement to participate in National Health Insurance; extending the preferential tax period for foreign special professionals from 3 years to 5 years.         

These proposed changes all constitute tangible demonstrations of sincerity in attracting outstanding international students and foreign professionals to come and stay in Taiwan.