Taipei: The Control Yuan said Friday that it has called on the Executive Yuan and relevant agencies to strengthen oversight of an internship program for foreign students in Taiwan's accommodation sector, citing continued irregularities during on-site inspections.

According to Focus Taiwan, the government watchdog revealed instances of passport retention and internship application fees during inspections by Control Yuan members on Feb. 25. During an inspection at a Taipei tourist hotel with a high number of foreign interns, Control Yuan members interviewed two students. These students reported that they had paid agency fees in their home countries to participate in internships in Taiwan and that their passports were being held by agents.

Furthermore, it was found that some foreign interns were not covered by labor insurance. National Health Insurance coverage is only available after six months of residence, the Control Yuan noted. In January, Taiwan's Tourism Administration (TA) under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications issued updated guidelines to better protect foreign interns in the accommodation sector. These guidelines included minimum pay requirements, an eight-hour daily work limit, and a ban on passport retention. Additionally, internship providers using agents or intermediary agencies must include a clause in contracts stating that foreign interns cannot be charged fees.

The guidelines also require interns to be covered by insurance provided by internship hosts, including at least group accident or occupational accident insurance, and mandate notification to the TA. Despite these revised guidelines, the Control Yuan highlighted that significant issues remain, such as unclear responsibilities, regulatory gaps, and a system focused mainly on paperwork.

The Control Yuan urged the Executive Yuan to strengthen pre-approval checks, clarify responsibilities, and establish clearer contracts and follow-up mechanisms to better protect foreign interns and prevent abuse. The TA opened the sector to foreign students enrolled in overseas schools in 2024 to help address Taiwan's labor shortages. Eligible applicants include students majoring in hospitality, culinary arts, tourism, recreation and sports, management, Chinese, or English.