MOL to open recruitment center in Manila, ease housing rules for workers

Taipei, Dec. 31 (CNA) Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor (MOL) confirmed Wednesday that it will open its first overseas recruitment center in Manila, the Philippines, and ease housing rules to allow certain migrant workers to arrange their own accommodation.

The recruitment center will be located at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines, in Manila, Su Yu-kuo (蘇裕國), an official with the MOL's Workforce Development Agency (WDA), said at a news conference in Taipei.

The center will enable Taiwanese employers to directly recruit Filipino migrant workers.

Asked by CNA how many officials will be sent to the new center and how many cases it is expected to handle after its planned launch in the first quarter of 2026, Su said the details were "still in the planning stage."

• MECO welcomes Taiwan plan to set up recruitment center in Philippines

Su also announced regulatory changes set to take effect in 2026, including renaming the "intermediate skilled workers" category as "foreign skilled workers."

Taiwan introduced the "Long-term Retention of Skilled Foreign Workers Program" in 2022, allowing migrant workers who have worked in Taiwan for more than six years to be reclassified as intermediate skilled foreign workers, making them eligible for higher wages and a potential path to permanent residency.

Starting in 2026, Su said, foreign skilled workers will be allowed to arrange their own accommodation and will no longer be required to live in employer-provided housing.

Under the new rules, employer responsibilities for housing will shift from an obligation-based care model to one based on mutual agreement between employers and workers. The change is expected to give workers greater autonomy over their living arrangements and encourage them to remain in Taiwan, Su said.

Asked whether the policy could allow employers to save money by shifting housing costs to workers, Su said it was not intended for that purpose.

• Taiwan set to open 1st overseas recruitment center

While acknowledging that workers who choose to live off-site would bear additional expenses, Su said some may prefer to live with friends or co-workers, as dormitory living often involves communal routines and rules.

He added that workers may also opt to continue living in employer-provided dormitories.

According to Su, most employers charge migrant workers in Taiwan around NT$2,000 (US$63.6) to NT$3,000 per month for meals and lodging.