Foreign internship eligibility expanded for accommodation sector

Taipei, July 14 (CNA) Legal revisions that expand the eligibility of foreign students enrolled in overseas schools to intern in Taiwan's accommodation sector came into effect on July 11.

Previously, only those students studying hospitality, culinary arts, or tourism could apply for internships in the accommodation sector, but under the amended law eligibility has expanded to those studying recreation and sports, management, Chinese, or English.

The changes were aimed at helping meet the demand for workers in Taiwan's tourism and lodging sectors to accommodate international travelers, the Tourism Administration said.

According to the administration, Taiwan's accommodation sector is currently facing a labor shortage of about 5,000 to 6,000 workers, and the expanded eligibility is expected to help ease some of the industry's manpower pressures.

The amendments also sought to protect the rights of foreign interns by adding requirements that employers providing internships obtain appropriate insurance coverage for their interns.

In cases of fraudulent documentation, deviation from the approved internship program, or interns going missing or engaging in activities inconsistent with their visa purpose, the internship approval may be revoked.

Depending on the severity of the violations, the internship provider may be barred from applying to host foreign interns for a period of three months to two years, the administration said.

The revisions also stipulate that applying interns must be enrolled in foreign institutions officially listed by Taiwan's Ministry of Education and must have completed at least one semester of study, to prevent people posing as students from working in Taiwan, the administration said.

The original regulations on the internship program only took effect on Jan. 1, 2025, and about 700 people have applied for positions since then.

Applicants must pass interviews with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before being able to come into Taiwan.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) said the regulations involved internship programs rather than job positions, and therefore did not fall under the ministry's regulatory purview.

Current regulations for foreign nationals seeking employment in Taiwan's accommodation sector require them to get degrees in related fields, such as culinary arts or tourism.

Those who study in other fields need to undergo relevant training of over 80 hours, the MOL said.

The ministry has drafted a bill that would also allow for employment in the sector if an international student has received training by a Taiwanese business and obtained a training certificate.

That draft bill has been made public and is undergoing a 60-day public review period when the public is asked for opinions or feedback, the ministry said.