Migrant caregivers in Taiwan averaged 10-hour work days, made NT$20,000 in June

台灣外籍移工平均工作時間為10小時，6月收入新台幣20,000元

98% of household employers paid caregivers for overtime: Ministry of Labor survey


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The average migrant home care worker in Taiwan was paid a salary of NT$20,209 (US$728) last June, up NT$291 compared to June 2020, and worked about 10 hours a day, according to a Ministry of Labor (MOL) survey.

The MOL on Monday (Jan. 17) announced the results of a survey on the management and employment of migrant caregivers. The ministry collected 4,643 samples from employers in the manufacturing and construction industries and 4,027 responses from household employers in July and August.

The survey reveals that caregivers made an average of NT$20,209 in June, including a regular salary of NT$17,563 and NT$2,182 of overtime pay, up NT$127 and NT$107, respectively, year over year.

Among household employers, 82.4% said they did not prescribe how long their caregivers had to work each day. Regardless of whether the number of working hours was specified or not, the survey shows that migrant caregivers worked an average of 10 hours a day.

The survey also shows that 25.7% of these caregivers were off work either every weekend or some weekends and holidays, a decrease of 31.6% attributed mainly to the Level 3 COVID-19 alert last summer.

According to the survey, 98% of household employers paid their employees overtime for working extra hours.

A total of 73.6% said they plan to have a backup caregiver in the future for when their caregivers have a day off (one day every seven days), with 81.8% of respondents to rely on family members to provide this care and 14% to apply for relief services provided by the government.

Nearly 40% of household employers are willing to apply for the relief home care services. Among these, 51.4% are willing to shoulder the cost of NT$500-1,200 per day for the services.

The survey also shows that 24.6% of household employers encountered difficulties with their care workers, with the language barrier topping the list at 59.2%. Meanwhile, 41.1% of the complainers are bothered by their workers' cell phone use and 34% had issues with employees’ attitudes.