TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taipei Migrant Worker School was inaugurated on Sunday (Oct. 24) as part of the capital city’s efforts to empower migrant laborers and improve their wellbeing.

Rather than a physical institute with a campus, the school is promoted as a concept that provides learning, medical, and other resources for foreign workers. From Mandarin acquisition to professional training such as skills for caretakers, and policy promotion, the initiative is aimed at helping the community adapt to society.

Taiwan now has a population of 1.65 million who are new immigrants and their offspring, international students, or migrant workers. This means every one out of 13 residents in the country is a member of the community, constituting a significant portion of the demographic, according to the city’s labor department.

While their stay in Taiwan may not last long, many of them are keen to upskill and equip themselves with advanced expertise after work, the department said. The school offers a platform for self-enhancement and cultural exchanges, while also serving to project Taiwan’s soft power.

Asked by the media about what the city has done to provide migrant workers with contraception assistance, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) noted the issue will not be addressed via the school’s curriculum. However, it is already covered in an existing care scheme and the government is considering including the group in the family medicine program.

Taiwan has worked to help the migrant community blend into society, with a non-profit recently being recognized at a prestigious Japanese design award for a learning kit it designed for Indonesian laborers.

More information about foreign labor can be found at the website of the Taipei City Foreign and Disabled Labor Office.