Migrants rights groups rallied outside the Executive Yuan in Taipei on Monday to demand the government overturn what they called discriminatory obstacles faced by workers who vacation in their home countries.

Dozens of migrant workers led by the Migrants Empowerment Network in Taiwan (MENT) and Domestic Caretakers Union Taoyuan (DCU) held up banners and placards urging the government to abolish complicated border regulations that they say target blue-collar migrant workers.

“Stop discriminative border control. Stop discrimination against blue-collar migrant workers,” around 50 people shouted outside the Executive Yuan in downtown Taipei.

DCU secretary Grace Huang (???) said unlike foreign white-collar professionals and Taiwanese, blue-collar migrant workers have always needed to apply for a re-entry permit from the National Immigration Agency to re-enter Taiwan and are required to enter Taiwan by the expiration date on the permit.

This policy differs from other foreign nationals with an alien resident certificate, commonly known as an ARC, which allows the bearer to enter and leave the Taiwan freely, according to the DCU.

Even though the regulations became more complicated after the COVID-19 pandemic, regulations have been eased for Taiwanese and other foreign nationals since October 2022, but remain overtly complicated for migrant workers, the DCU said.

According to current regulations, before returning to Taiwan, migrant workers need their employer or broker to log onto the Ministry of Labor’s “Entry And Departure of The Foreign Labor Airport Care Service” website three days before their entry to include their name on an entry list, the DCU said.

If the worker is a caregiver, the employer needs to provide photos of proof seven days beforehand that the worker has a one-person bedroom and toilet during the self-health disease prevention period, otherwise the worker needs to go to a hotel, the DCU said.

When the worker arrives in Taiwan, he/she is not allowed to leave the airport on their own and must be signed for and collected by their employer or an individual assigned by the employer, the DCU said.

The MENT and DCU believe the regulations are discriminatory and do not properly respect the hard work that migrant workers have given to Taiwan. Meanwhile, the regulations have also resulted in problematic situations for some migrant workers, the migrants rights groups said.

A Filipina caretaker, identified by the name Michelle, said in a recorded video she has been unable to return to Taiwan after taking a trip back to the Philippines because a series of flights back to Taiwan were delayed leading her re-entry permit to expire.

To save money, her employer booked two flights, Manila to Palawan, then Palawan to Taoyuan, however due to flight delays, her re-entry permit expired.

“My broker and employer abandoned me and told me to reapply to find a new employer and broker,” Michelle said. “I’m having a hard time and my boss and broker don’t care about me anymore.”

She feels under pressure having already pre-paid NT$18,000 (US$592.41) to undergo hotel self-health management, Michelle said.

Another Filipina caretaker, Yveth, who was affected by the regulations but eventually made it back to Taiwan, said her employer agreed to her taking a vacation in the Philippines from Dec. 4 to Jan. 4 but was later shocked to learn that her name was not on the list to re-enter Taiwan.

She was told that her name was not on the re-entry list because she didn’t register for a quarantine hotel, Yveth said.

To come back to Taiwan, her employer had to register for a quarantine hotel, but Yveth had to purchase a new plane ticket costing NT$19,380, she said.

“When I arrived in Taiwan, I was quarantined in the hotel but it’s useless! Why? Because I went out to buy my own food,” Yveth said.

She understands that she is required to do a swab test and tell the hotel before going out to buy food, but feels “it’s just a hindrance,” Yveth said.

“My employer and I spent much time and money because of this unfair policy, it not only discriminates against OFWs but also their employers. We want this discriminatory policy abolished, as we are human beings, like the people who live in Taiwan, don’t discriminate against us,” Yveth said.

The Workforce Development Agency (WDA) under the Ministry of Labor (MOL) said in a statement that migrant workers entering Taiwan are subject to the same self-health disease prevention policy as Taiwanese and other arrivals from Southeast Asia.

Between Oct. 13 and Feb. 16, a total of 102,586 migrant workers entered Taiwan, returning to pre-pandemic levels, the statement said.

Whether an individual is coming to Taiwan for the first time or returning to work, all migrant worker arrivals are new arrivals, hence they need to have a valid entry permit and address where they will undergo disease prevention prior to coming, the statement said.

However, regarding the issue of why foreign nationals with a valid ARC can enter and leave the country freely, whereas blue-collar migrants must first apply for a re-entry permit, the WDA told CNA that the policy falls under the remit of NIA and is outside their jurisdiction.

A total of 728,081 migrant workers were working in Taiwan at the end of December, according to MOL data.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel