Taiwan to recruit migrant workers for hospitality sector

Taipei, Oct. 30 (CNA) Migrant workers will soon be allowed to work in Taiwan's hospitality sector if they earn a minimum monthly wage of NT$32,000 (US$1,041.58), an official said Thursday.

Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀), director-general of the Tourism Administration, told lawmakers that the hospitality industry can begin hiring intermediate skilled migrant workers in the first quarter of next year to perform housekeeping, cleaning, front desk, and food service duties.

The policy is part of a package the Cabinet approved Thursday morning aimed at addressing labor shortages while protecting job opportunities for local workers, according to the Cabinet's officials on Wednesday.

To hire a migrant worker as intermediate staff, a hospitality operator must first raise the monthly salary of a local employee by NT$2,000, Cheng Yi-ping (鄭憶萍), a deputy division chief at the Tourism Administration, told reporters.

● Cabinet to promote local pay rises in exchange for more migrant workers

Migrant workers employed in the hospitality sector must be paid at least NT$32,000 per month, compared to the minimum wage of NT$29,500 that will take effect at the beginning of next year, she said.

The number of migrant workers employed at a business will be capped at 10 percent of the employer's workforce, she added.

They will be required to have basic Mandarin proficiency, she said, noting the salary threshold and qualification requirements will be determined by the Ministry of Labor.

Cheng said the program is expected to primarily recruit workers from the Philippines, aiming to help fill the industry's labor shortage of 6,600.

Businesses eligible for the program include tourist hotels licensed by the Tourism Administration and hotels registered with local governments, but not homestays with fewer than eight or 15 rooms, depending on their location, according to the agency.

According to the Tourism Administration, a 2023 survey showed that the hospitality industry faces a labor shortage of 6,600 housekeeping and cleaning staff.

From April 2023 to September 2024, the agency offered a NT$5,000 subsidy for each qualified worker, supporting the industry's ability to accommodate international guests.

Meanwhile, the agency has also proposed easing regulations to allow foreign students to work in the hospitality industry after graduation or to relax rules on their internships.