TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s labor authorities announced on Monday (May 17) that migrant workers will be banned from entry starting May 19 as the country works to contain a fresh COVID-19 surge.
The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said on Monday afternoon that non-resident foreigners will be denied entry from Wednesday. The Ministry of Labor elaborated later that the border control measure also applies to migrant workers.
According to the MOL, Taiwan has introduced 7,249 laborers over the past month, with 6,726 heading into the industrial sectors and 523 into social welfare services.
Employers can enjoy an automatic three-month extension for their six-month permits to bring in migrant workers, if the permit expires on any date between May 19 and June 30. This is to cut the hassle of administrative work for businesses affected by the measure.
Meanwhile, for households with a need to hire foreign caregivers for unwell family members, they are advised to call the long-term care hotline (1966) or local government-run nursing facilities for assistance.
The government is encouraging unemployed citizens to fill in the labor shortage due to the new restrictions via job matching services at local employment centers. Call 0800-000-978, the long-term care hotline (1966), or the labor complaint hotline (1955) for more information.