Taipei: Labor groups on Sunday urged the government to allow household migrant caregivers to be hired and managed by long-term care agencies, saying the move would prevent overwork and better protect the interests of care recipients and those providing care. "Exploitation is not a choice," protesters chanted at a rally outside the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) in Taipei, ahead of International Domestic Workers Day on June 16.

According to Focus Taiwan, Jogilyn, a representative of the Domestic Caretaker Union, a group made up mainly of Filipino caregivers in Taiwan, was among the roughly 50 attendees. She highlighted the challenges caregivers face, including long working hours and limited opportunities for rest and leave, which are exacerbated by increasing care responsibilities. Jogilyn emphasized that the right to rest and take leave is "a fundamental labor and human right."

Napia, representing the Indonesian migrant caregiver union SBIPT, noted the adverse effects of 24-hour workdays on both caregivers and care recipients, particularly older adults and people with disabilities. This situation, Napia argued, also negatively impacts the interests of families.

Currently, household migrant caregivers and domestic helpers in Taiwan, totaling more than 210,000 people primarily from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, are excluded from the Labor Standards Act. This exclusion means they do not benefit from mandated regular rest days or daily working-hour limits. Many are live-in caregivers, responsible for continuous care and rarely getting time off.

In a statement from January 2026, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) noted that a June 2025 survey indicated 65.8 percent of household migrant caregivers had at least one day off per month, with 31.7 percent taking an average of one day off monthly. Wu Jing-ru, an official from the Taiwan International Workers' Association, explained that civil groups have long advocated for incorporating household migrant caregivers into Taiwan's long-term care workforce by having long-term care service agencies serve as their employers.

Unlike caregivers hired directly by individual families, those employed by agencies would be covered by the Labor Standards Act, offering them clearer protections on wages, working hours, and rest days. Wu suggested that this model would enable families to return to the role of service users, while agencies would dispatch caregivers based on users' needs, thus providing more stable and professional home-based care with better labor protections.

In response to the labor groups' demands, the International Association of Family and Employers with Disabilities, an NGO formed by employers of migrant caregivers, suggested reforming rather than abolishing the current family-based hiring system. They emphasized the need for establishing rules on professional qualifications, contractual responsibilities, and quality control before incorporating migrant caregivers into the long-term care system.

Wu Hsi-wen, deputy head of the MOHW's Department of Long-Term Care, stated that the proposed changes would require "wide-ranging" regulatory adjustments and careful consideration. If the model required 24-hour care services, it might necessitate rotating shifts, which would differ significantly from the current service model. Wu also mentioned the need to consider rules under the Employment Service Act, ensuring that employing foreign workers does not harm the job opportunities or working conditions of Taiwanese nationals.

The MOHW will continue to gather input from different sectors and assess the potential impact on stakeholders. Meanwhile, CNA reached out to the MOL for comments, but the ministry deferred to the MOHW, stating that the policies fall under the health ministry's jurisdiction.