Taiwan to ease hotel job access for foreign students

Taipei, Aug. 27 (CNA) Foreign students graduating in Taiwan will be eligible for mid-level jobs in the hotel industry from Wednesday, as part of government efforts to address workforce shortages, the Ministry of Labor announced Tuesday.

To qualify for jobs in housekeeping, cleaning, room booking, reception and restaurant waiting service at hotels, the graduates must first hold associate degrees or higher from Taiwan, the ministry said in a press release.

In addition, they have to complete at least 80 hours of internship training courses provided by the Tourism Administration, local universities, or industry associations, it said.

The entry-level monthly salary for the group is NT$30,000 (US$917), rising to NT$33,000 if a contract is renewed, according to the ministry.

It is hoped foreign students will expand their employment opportunities by taking on mid-level jobs that were traditionally less accessible, the ministry said, after an amendment to the Regulations on the Permission and Administration of the Employment of Foreign Workers.

Taiwan sees an estimated 13,000 foreign students graduate each year, according to government data.

Currently in the tourism sector, these students are restricted to managerial roles, the ministry said, explaining that the new system could help address Taiwan's projected workforce shortfall of 400,000 by 2030.

A further amendment to the law is planned by the end of this year to establish an "individual work permit system" for foreign students, aiming to bolster the domestic workforce in industries such as healthcare, transportation and logistics, the ministry said, without providing further details.