More than 90% of domestic migrant workers’ employers are dissatisfied with the migrant worker policy and require reforms, the Ministry of Labor said.

In response to a press conference held by the Employers Association today (15th), it was announced that 94.3% of the respondents were dissatisfied with the current migrant worker policy, and it proposed eight major policy reform requirements and called for attention to the rights of migrant employers. The Ministry of Labor responded by pointing out that it understands the differences between family employers and corporate employers in the situations and challenges of hiring migrant workers. In particular, family employers with family members with severe disabilities may be under greater pressure if their services are interrupted during the hiring process. Therefore, we promise to review relevant systems and policies, strengthen cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and expand the connection between relevant public resources and systems. We hope to provide more public care support and system support based on the actual care needs of family employers.

In response to the reform demands put forward by the militia, the Ministry of Labor put forward four points in response:

1. An inter-ministerial meeting will discuss expanding public care resources and system connections to reduce care interruptions for family employers.

The Ministry of Labor stated that it is fully aware that families employing foreign caregivers may be in trouble when the migrant workers are on vacation, lose contact, suffer serious injuries, or are unable to work. Therefore, in addition to budgeting about NT$2 billion to provide respite services and short-term care services, which total about 52 days per year, the government will assist families with their care needs. Next, the government will expand inter-departmental cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Welfare to provide more public care resources and system connections, and try to reduce the interruption of care that family employers may face, especially for families with severe illness.

2. Expand skills training for foreign caregivers and improve the quality of care:

The Ministry of Labor stated that it has begun to review and discuss strengthening the care skills training for foreign caregivers, and cooperates with the Ministry of Health and Welfare to provide more professional care training for foreign caregivers and family employers in a variety of ways to improve the quality of care for foreign caregivers and reduce care friction.

3. "Home care workers" are not covered by the Taiwan-US Reciprocal Trade Agreement (ART)

The Ministry of Labor emphasized that the Taiwan-U.S. Reciprocal Trade Agreement (ART) commits to implement "fair recruitment" policies within three years after the agreement takes effect, mainly targeting employers in the manufacturing and fishing industries, and family employers are not included.

4. Management of the source of cross-departmental contact loss, and strong law enforcement to cut off the loss of contact

The Ministry of Labor pointed out that this year it has actively cooperated with the competent authorities of various industries and enterprises to fully guide employers in newly opened industries to implement labor selection, employment management and legal compliance responsibilities, and has coordinated across ministries to establish a strict out-of-contact management and control mechanism.

In the face of the illegal market, the Ministry of Labor also works closely with the Ministry of the Interior to use technological detection and prevention to investigate hot cases. In addition to setting up public reporting bonuses, those illegally detained or hired will be fined up to 750,000 yuan for "one act, one penalty". For-profit illegal intermediaries will face up to 3 years in prison or a fine of 1.2 million yuan. In the future, we will also cooperate with the Immigration Department to strengthen the exchange of information and information and carry out strong investigations against illegal intermediaries.

In addition, regarding the penalties related to missing migrant workers, Article 73, Paragraph 3 and Article 74 of the Employment Service Law currently stipulate that foreigners who have lost contact due to absence from work for three consecutive days and whose employment permit has been revoked are no longer allowed to work in the Republic of China. The Ministry of Labor stated that through the above-mentioned inter-ministerial meetings, the cumulative number of missing migrant workers has dropped from a high of nearly 95,000 in late last year to more than 88,000. The relevant response measures have initially achieved results.

As for the employers' association, it is recommended that the government study a special law on foreigners' affairs and a dedicated coordinating mechanism to integrate introduction, employment, residence, investigation, insurance and employer relief, and prioritize the country's people's right to work, social stability and financial transparency, and improve the problem of scattered powers and responsibilities across ministries and insufficient coordination. The Ministry of Labor stated that since it involves changes to the overall administrative organization, overall thinking and careful evaluation are required.