TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's Employment Gold Card program has awarded over 13,000 cards to citizens of 101 countries.
Launched in February 2018 under the Foreign Professionals Act, the Gold Card combines a work permit, resident visa, Alien Resident Certificate, and re-entry permit into a single document, per CNA. It aims to attract professionals with expertise in various fields, including technology, economics, education, arts and culture, law, architecture, defense, and digital industries.
Initially, the program struggled to gain traction, with only 188 cards issued by the end of 2018 and 546 in 2019. However, the onset of COVID in 2020, coupled with Taiwan’s effective pandemic response and resilient economy, drew global talent, increasing card issuances to 1,945.
According to National Development Council officials, the Gold Card program gained widespread recognition through word of mouth during the pandemic. The issuance rate steadily increased, surpassing 10,000 in 2024.
As of May, 13,191 cards have been issued. In addition to familiar sources like the US, UK, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong, recipients have also come from Pakistan, Latvia, Slovakia, Egypt, Iran, Lithuania, and Russia.
Most Pakistani holders obtain degrees in Taiwan and work in academia, while Latvians often collaborate with Taiwan’s space program. Many Egyptian and Iranian recipients hold doctorates and work in science or tech.
The US is consistently the top source country, accounting for 25% of all Gold Card holders. Hong Kong ranks second, followed by Japan.
NDC officials pointed out that many second- or third-generation Taiwanese Americans are applying for Gold Cards. The first Gold Card was issued to Steve Chen (陳士駿), the Taiwanese American co-founder of YouTube, by then-Premier and now-President Lai Ching-te (賴清德).
Japan entered the top three in 2022 and continues to grow steadily. Officials attribute this to geographic proximity and strong Taiwan-Japan economic ties.
India, recognized for its robust tech and software capabilities, now ranks fourth. Taiwan has identified Bangalore as a key recruitment target.
In November 2024, the NDC led a talent recruitment mission to India, partnering with institutions like the Indian Institute of Science, the International Institute of Information Technology, and Bangalore University. The delegation focused on AI, cybersecurity, and IC design and established long-term cooperation mechanisms with these universities.
Among the most recognizable recipients are former NBA star Dwight Howard and South Korean cheerleader Lee Dahye (李多慧). Lee received her card under the arts and culture category with the Ministry of Culture’s recommendation as a Korean tourism ambassador promoting Taiwan-Korea cultural exchange.
The NDC has drafted amendments to the Foreign Professionals Act to enhance the program. The proposed revisions have passed Cabinet review and will be submitted to the Legislative Yuan.
The NDC anticipates that if the Legislative Yuan successfully passes the amendments during this session, they could be implemented by the end of this year.
