TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The first migrant workers to Taiwan from India will arrive in 2025 at the earliest, Labor Minister Ho Pei-shan (何佩珊) told lawmakers Wednesday (June 26).

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Taiwan and India about foreign labor was reviewed and approved by the Legislative Yuan Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene and Foreign and National Defense Committees. The next step will be a review by the full legislature, the Liberty Times reported.

The number of workers from India would not exceed 1,000, with the arrivals finding employment in the manufacturing sector, Ho said. At present, the government was not considering opening up the services sector to workers from India.

Legislators demanded the Ministry of Labor submit a plan for the direct import and employment of Indian workers without brokers, per CNA. They also wanted the government to establish or appoint a specialized body to manage the direct import, and to present a report about its progress within three months.

Although the direct method was already included in the MOU, import by labor brokers would still remain an option, according to Ho. Labor rights activists and migrant workers' groups have protested against the use of brokers, accusing them of charging illegal fees.

She said that English language ability and technical knowhow would play a role in the recruitment process. The import of migrant workers from India would develop gradually to see whether they could acclimatize to Taiwan, according to the minister, who added they would receive information about the host country’s laws.