The Legislative Yuan on Friday passed amendments to the Foreign Professionals Act that will expand the graduate work exemption, extend digital nomad visa durations, ease permanent residency requirements, and improve labor and social protections to attract more talent to Taiwan.
The revised law exempts graduates of the world’s top 1,500 universities from the two-year work experience requirement, per CNA. Previously, only graduates from the top 500 universities were eligible.
Under the new rules, foreign professionals who earn degrees in Taiwan can count those years toward residency: three years for a doctorate, two for a master’s, and one for a bachelor’s or associate degree. Similar deductions apply to foreign specialists, individuals who hold expertise in select fields, but only two years for a doctorate and one year for a master’s.
University graduates ranked in the world’s top 200 within the past five years can directly apply to the Ministry of Labor for up to two years of work authorization, which cannot be renewed or extended. Those granted residency will receive Alien Resident Certificates valid for up to two years.
Foreign students who graduate in Taiwan will be exempt from needing a work permit while job hunting. Spouses of foreign senior professionals or foreign specialist professionals can apply directly for work permits during their dependent residency period.
The digital nomad visa will be extended from the current maximum of six months to two years. The visa enables foreign professionals who work remotely without being employed by or providing services to a business entity within Taiwan to stay in the country.
The law also lowers the bar for permanent residency, allowing foreign specialist professionals who meet certain criteria, including earning NT$6 million (US$195,000) annually, to apply after just one year of residence. Foreign students with an associate degree or higher from a Taiwanese institution may count one to two years of study toward the required continuous residency period for permanent residency, per Liberty Times.
Foreign professionals no longer need to obtain permanent residency to be eligible to join Taiwan’s labor pension system. Permanent residents will also be eligible for employment insurance, and those who have lived in Taiwan for over 10 years can access certain disability care and long-term care services.
In addition, the law expands the definition of foreign specialist professionals to include talent in digital technology, sports, environmental protection, and biotechnology. It also permits foreign teachers with expertise in bilingual education to teach languages, arts, and other specialized subjects at public and private schools below the senior high school level, as well as to assist in teacher training.
