Migrant workers eligible for occupational accident legal aid: Ministry

Taipei, Aug. 19 (CNA) Blue-collar migrant workers injured on the job are eligible for a Ministry of Labor (MOL) legal assistance program for occupational accident victims and can receive interpretation services throughout the process, the ministry told CNA Wednesday.

The confirmation came as the MOL is set to expand the program from Jan. 1, 2027, to provide legal representation during criminal trials in occupational accident cases, extending existing assistance beyond the investigation stage.

In a statement to CNA, the MOL said the program provides legal consultations, lawyers to accompany workers during settlement and mediation proceedings, and litigation assistance to occupational accident victims, including migrant workers.

For migrant workers, "interpretation services are provided throughout the process," the ministry said.

The MOL has also instructed local government personnel dedicated to occupational accident cases to assess the needs of the migrant workers they assist and connect them with lawyers where necessary, according to the statement.

The statement came after CNA questioned MOL Department of Labor Relations Director-General Wang Hou-wei (王厚偉) at a news briefing Tuesday about migrant workers' eligibility for the program and the availability of interpretation services.

Wang confirmed at the time that the assistance covers migrant workers, including live-in caregivers and domestic helpers who are not covered by Taiwan's Labor Standards Act.

He also noted that interpretation services are particularly important for migrant workers, who "definitely need this kind of assistance; otherwise, they would have difficulty asserting many of their rights."

Trial-stage assistance from 2027

The program's expansion to cover criminal trials from Jan. 1, 2027 is intended to "fill a gap" in the current system by extending lawyers' assistance beyond the investigation stage, said Legal Aid Foundation CEO Steven Chou (周漢威), who also spoke at Tuesday's briefing.

"We believe there should also be a lawyer alongside [the worker] during the trial," said Chou, whose foundation works with the MOL on the program.

He said lawyers can help identify witnesses and other evidence, particularly because the prosecutor handling the case at trial may not be the same one who conducted the investigation and may be less familiar with the case.

Lawyers can also explain to the court the impact of an accident on workers and their families, including physical disabilities and psychological trauma, when judges consider sentencing, Chou said.

In addition, they can advise workers and their families during settlement negotiations and help them seek reasonable compensation from their employers, he added.

Information provided by the MOL showed that the program includes assistance with legal fees, up to NT$100,000 (US$3,129) per case for necessary expenses such as application fees, as well as living-expense assistance for eligible workers involved in litigation.

Chou told CNA that lawyers assigned through the foundation to handle occupational accident cases under the program are paid NT$20,000 for representing complainants during criminal investigations and NT$30,000 during trial proceedings.

Regarding the experience of its legal aid lawyers, Chou said the foundation had 4,889 such lawyers in 2025, with around 61 percent having practiced law for more than 11 years.

MOL data showed that Taiwan had 895,115 blue-collar migrant workers as of late June.