Top 10 incentives included in new foreign talent act

10大獎勵包含外國專業人才

10 major benefits included in the new Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professional Talent


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- On Tuesday (Oct. 31), Taiwan’s Legislature passed the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professional Talent (外國專業人才延攬及僱用法) in an bid to attract and retain more international professionals in the country.

The following is a quick and simple guide to the 10 major new incentives included with the law:


Work and residence permits for white-collar workers extended from 3 to 5 years.

Four-in-one "gold card" includes work permit, residence visa, alien residency permit and re-entry permit.

Workers no longer have to stay 183 days per year to maintain visa status.

A "job-seeking visa" gives foreigners 6 months to find a job in Taiwan.

Professionals with an annual salary of more than NT$3 million will receive a 50% tax cut for 3 years.

Spouses and children no longer have to wait 6 months to receive health insurance.

Spouses, minor children, and disabled children can apply for permanent residency in Taiwan.

Permanent residents included in pension system and can claim pensions in a lump sum or monthly payments.

Artists can apply directly to the Ministry of Labor for a permit for artistic work.

New law also applies to citizens of Hong Kong and Macau.


A contentious item that did not make the list was an "internship visa" for foreign exchange students and recent college graduates, which would have been valid for 2 years, but was blocked by lawmakers out of fear it would lead to foreigners taking lower-paid jobs away from local Taiwanese. Instead, vague wording was left in saying that foreign students and recent foreign graduates within the past 2 years can apply for permission with authorities for a "long-term internship" in Taiwan.

Also included in the new law, foreign professionals who have obtained permanent residence may leave Taiwan and not return for up to 5 years before having their permanent residence permit revoked and their Alien Resident Certificate cancelled.

The finalized law can be viewed on the Executive Yuan website in Chinese and on the National Development Council website in English. For more details on the new incentives, click on the Taiwan News report announcing the new law.