Control Yuan urges tighter oversight of foreign internship program

Taipei, June 12 (CNA) The Control Yuan said Friday that it has called on the Executive Yuan and relevant agencies to strengthen oversight of an internship program for foreign students in Taiwan's accommodation sector, citing continued irregularities during on-site inspections.

In a news release, the government watchdog said instances of passport retention and internship application fees were found during inspections by Control Yuan members on Feb. 25.

During an inspection at a Taipei tourist hotel with a high number of foreign interns, Control Yuan members interviewed two students, who said they had paid agency fees in their home countries to come to Taiwan for internships and that their passports were being held by agents.

Furthermore, some foreign interns were found not to be covered by labor insurance, while National Health Insurance coverage is only available after six months of residence, the Control Yuan said.

In January, Taiwan's Tourism Administration (TA) under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications issued updated guidelines to better protect foreign interns in the accommodation sector.

The guideline included minimum pay requirements, an eight-hour daily work limit and a ban on passport retention, while internship providers using agents or intermediary agencies must include a clause in contracts stating that foreign interns cannot be charged fees.

Meanwhile, the guidelines also require interns to be covered by insurance provided by internship hosts, including at least group accident or occupational accident insurance, and require notification to the TA.

The Control Yuan said that despite the revised guidelines, major problems remain, including unclear responsibilities, regulatory gaps and a system focused mainly on paperwork.

It urged the Executive Yuan to strengthen pre-approval checks, clarify responsibilities and establish clearer contracts and follow-up mechanisms to better protect foreign interns and prevent abuse.

The TA opened the sector to foreign students enrolled in overseas schools in 2024 to help address Taiwan's labor shortages. Eligible applicants include students majoring in hospitality, culinary arts, tourism, recreation and sports, management, Chinese or English.