TSK TSK GAMAY NALANG MAKWARTA ANG BROKER ANI!!!! Mag forever Taiwan nako :-D MOL cancels foreign labor compulsory departure rules The China Post news staff October 1, 2014, 12:03 am TWN TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Foreign blue-collar workers in Taiwan no longer need to leave the country every year, according to a new plan announced by the Ministry of Labor (MOL) yesterday and set for Legislative Yuan review today. Under the two-decade-old rule designed to avoid foreign labor-related immigration issues, all foreign blue-collar workers must leave Taiwan for a period of time before reentering when they reach three years of service in the nation. The departure period once stretched to at least 40 days but was later changed to one day at minimum. Lai Jia-jen (賴家仁), head of the MOLs Foreign Labor Management Division, said yesterday that the MOL agreed to cancel the three-year departure requirement because the new rule will bring “more advantages than disadvantages” to the nations 520,000 foreign laborers and their Taiwanese employers. If passed into law, the new plan will save foreign workers extra fees of around NT$20,000 per person that they currently pay every three years to labor agencies due to the departure requirement. Taiwanese employers will also benefit from the change as they will no longer need to cope with the loss of manpower when their workers are forced to leave the country. The benefit is more pronounced for families that hire foreign caretakers as the departed caretakers will be the sole foreign worker each family employs. Businesses organizations have praised the MOLs decision. Tsai Lien-sheng (蔡練生) and Chen Wen-yi (陳文義), secretaries-general of the Chinese National Federation of Industries (CNFI) and Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers Association (TEEMA), both pointed out that the old rule lowers productivity as it deprives the country of workers that have become skilled after three years of training and work. Tsai also called the cancelation of compulsory departure “long overdue.” The CNFI has made similar recommendations over the years, Tsai pointed out, adding that many skilled foreign workers are “head hunted” by South Korean businesses when they return home during their tri-annual departure from Taiwan. Wang Ying-chieh (王應傑), director-general of the General Chamber of Commerce, said he supports the new rule, which he characterizes as a “win-win” for both workers and employers. The new rule is cautiously welcomed by Taiwans foreign labor organization. Chen Su-hsiang (陳素香), secretary-general of the Taiwan International Workers Association, said that while the association does not disagree with the MOLs proposal, the government must protect foreign workers rights to home visits and holidays. Supporters of the new rule pointed to the fact that some workers are charged much more than the NT$20,000 suggested by the MOL in extra tri-annual departure fees, Chen said. The new rule can mean more money for the workers, Chen cited supporters as saying. However, Chen also highlighted worries that the new rule might deprive foreign workers of holidays. Foreign blue-collar workers are excluded from the Labor Standards Act and therefore do not enjoy the special annual leaves guaranteed by the law. The compulsory departure is a rare chance for many foreign workers to visit their homes, Chen pointed out. The government should pass laws to guarantee foreign workers rights to holidays and home trips, she said.
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 07:12:22 +0000
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