Amendment passed to ease rules on hiring of foreign caregivers

Taipei, Dec. 31 (CNA) An opposition amendment allowing individuals aged 80 and older to bypass Barthel Index-based health evaluations passed its third reading in the Legislature on Tuesday, drawing expressions of regret from the government, which opposed the change.

The revisions to the Employment Service Act also extend the waiver to individuals aged 70 to 79 with stage two or more advanced cancer. The Barthel Index is a widely used tool in Taiwan to assess an individual's ability to perform daily activities in clinical practice and research.

Under the amendment, which passed by 52 to 49 votes, evaluation and determination methods for care recipients with Indigenous status will be jointly established by the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) and the Council of Indigenous Peoples.

Last year, the Barthel Index requirement was waived for specific groups, including those receiving long-term care for at least six consecutive months, individuals with early-stage dementia, and those with severe breathing or swallowing difficulties.

In response to the bill's passage, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) and MOHW expressed concern that it could undermine the long-term care system. As the main source countries for migrant workers cannot immediately increase the labor supply, and the recruitment, training, and introduction process could take several months, the current shortage could be exacerbated, driving up hiring costs.

The amendment could lead to significant additional demand for migrant caregivers, as an additional 530,000 Taiwanese seniors will now be eligible to hire live-in caregivers, the MOL said in a press release.

According to government data, Taiwan had approximately 227,000 migrant caregivers as of November, with the number growing by around 10,000 per year.

However, the MOL cautioned that the bill could potentially make it more challenging for critically ill families to hire or retain migrant caregivers, limiting their access to care.

In addition, the MOHW noted that as around 60 percent of seniors over 80 in Taiwan are not disabled, round-the-clock care could speed up their physical decline and place additional strain on the future healthcare and caregiving system.

The opposition Kuomintang argued that the current policy does not take unexpected situations into account, and with a declining birthrate, the amendment will also help alleviate the burden on younger families.