migrant workers in Taiwan

Wage Hike for Migrant Workers Criticized for Limited Scope

Migrant workers and migrant worker advocates criticized a recent wage hike that would increase the minimum monthly wage for live-in migrant workers, who primarily work in homes taking care of the elderly, from 17,000 NT to 20,000 NT. Namely, though the wage hike increases the minimum monthly wage for live-in migrant workers by 17%, the wage hike is still 5,250 NT below the minimum wage in Taiwan, which is 25,250 NT...

Efforts to Hire Fishing Inspectors Unlikely to Improve Conditions for Migrant Fishermen

The Fisheries Agency has announced that it intends to recruit 79 inspectors, as part of an initiative to increase the number of inspections carried out of migrant fishing vessels conducting deep sea fishing. This takes place, then, as part of an attempt to improve the labor conditions for migrant fishermen. The labor inspectors will primarily work in Pingtung, Kaohsiung, and Yilan...

Radio New Bloom #21: Ethical Supply Chains and Labor Practices with Dr. Bonny Ling

For the twenty-first episode of Radio New Bloom, we present a recording of our event from last year on December 15, 2021 with Dr. Bonny Ling. The event discussed the crucial place that Taiwan plays in global supply chains, whether in terms of semiconductors—of which Taiwan produces over half the global supply—or its fishing fleet—with Taiwan’s distant water fishing fleet ranked as the second-largest in the world. Yet Taiwan's supply chains are highly dependent on migrant labor, as in the use of migrant fishermen on Taiwan’s near and distant waters fishing fleet, as well as migrant workers in factories for semiconductor manufacturing lines. The talk, then, sought to discuss the various levers possible to push for reform regarding this very pressing issue...

Arrest of Migrant Worker Visa Overstayer Likely to Discourage Others From Being Vaccinated

Efforts to vaccinate undocumented migrant workers or migrant workers who have left their employers and overstayed their visas in Taiwan are likely to encounter difficulties after police arrested a migrant worker from the Philippines who had overstayed her visa. This took place after she went to be vaccinated, despite promises by the Central Epidemic Command Center that undocumented migrant workers who wish to be vaccinated can do so without fear of arrest...