Fee-charging standards unveiled for extending Employment Gold Cards

Taipei, Aug. 15 (CNA) The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) recently rolled out new fee-charging standards for foreign professionals to extend the validity of Taiwan's Employment Gold Cards a maximum of three years each time in line with a law amendment to boost the employment of foreign talent.

Foreign nationals applying to extend their Employment Gold Card by one-year will be charged NT$1,500 (US$54), while a two-year extension is NT$2,500 and a three-year extension NT$3,500, according to a notice issued recently by the MOI on a draft amendment to the Fee-Charging Standards for Employment Gold Cards, Employment Pass Cards and Entrepreneur Visas.

Residents of Hong Kong or Macau will be charged a flat fee of NT$800 for extensions per card, according to the MOI notice issued Aug. 5 for a two-month period of public comments.

The Employment Gold Card program was launched in 2018 to appeal to foreign professionals who possess special expertise needed by Taiwan in the fields of science and technology, economy, culture and arts, finance, education, architecture, law and sports.

The card is a combination of an open-end work permit, a resident visa, the Alien Resident Certificate (ARC), and a multiple entry permit.

In accordance with Article 8 of the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals, employment-seeking foreign professionals or professionals from Hong Kong/Macau whose qualifications are certified by the central competent authorities to work in one of the eight fields can apply for an Employment Gold Card.

The validity of the Employment Gold Card is available in three choices: one year, two years, or three years.

The MOI's fee-charging standards amendment was proposed after the Legislative Yuan passed a revision to the Act in June to make Taiwan more attractive to overseas professionals.

The revision allows foreign special professionals to apply for permanent residence in Taiwan after staying in the country for three years, instead of the previous five years, provided they live in Taiwan for at least 183 days each year.

The fees charged for an Employment Gold Card vary depending on whether it is a domestic or overseas application, the effective period and whether the applicant is subject to special handling fees.

For example, for a card with one-year validity, overseas applications by foreign nationals who are subject to a special handling fee as specified in the Standard Fees for Republic of China (Taiwan) Visas in Foreign Passports will be charged NT$1,500; while NT$2,500 will be charged for two-year duration cards; and NT$3,500 for three-year duration cards.

Meanwhile, for other overseas applicants, the fees charged will be NT$3,700 per card for one-year duration; NT$4,700 per card for two-year duration; NT$5,700 per card for three-year duration.

The charging standards for domestic applications by foreign nationals who entered Taiwan with a visa for a stay of 60 days or longer and without annotation of a restriction disallowing extension or other limitation are one-year validity NT$3,700; two-year validity, NT$4,700; three-year validity, NT$5,700.

The charging standards for residents of Hong Kong or Macau are NT$3,100 per card for one-year to three-year validity.

Since the qualification-based residence-work visa program was launched in February 2018, the number of Employment Gold Cards issued has been on the rise.

As of late June, 2,878 cards had been issued to foreign professionals mainly in the economy as well as science and technology fields. Most of the card holders work in Taiwan's key industries, including the semiconductor, artificial intelligence and offshore wind power sectors, or new ventures, according to statistics compiled by the National Development Council.