Taipei: Foreign bartenders can now legally work in Taiwan, following a recent regulatory revision by the Ministry of Labor. The ministry announced on January 24 that it had reclassified bartending as a “specialized or technical occupation” under the Employment Services Act.

According to Focus Taiwan, the change allows foreign bartenders to obtain a work permit, provided they have worked for two years at any bar or restaurant or one year at a business officially recognized by organizations such as the Michelin Guide. The work experience requirements are waived for those who have won prizes in certain international bartending competitions, as stated by the ministry.

Additionally, foreign bartenders must receive a minimum monthly salary of NT$47,971 (US$1,500), while employers need to hold a valid hotel, restaurant, or bar business license to hire them. Foreign bartenders’ job responsibilities must be restricted to mixing alcoholic and nonalcoholic cocktails, providing technical training, designing drink menus, consulting on bar operations, and offering customer service for a work permit to be granted.

The new regulations come after several bars were heavily fined for hosting foreign guest bartenders without proper work permits. In June 2024, Tu Li-ching, founder of the PaperPlane bar guide, launched a petition advocating for regulatory changes. The petition gained over 6,000 signatures and led to a public hearing, ultimately pushing the ministry to amend the law to boost Taiwan’s international bar scene.