Taipei: Families in Taiwan with at least one child under the age of 12 will soon have the opportunity to hire migrant domestic helpers, as a new policy set to take effect on April 13 aims to alleviate the burden of childcare. This change is expected to benefit over 1.44 million eligible households.
According to Focus Taiwan, Minister without Portfolio Chen Shih-chung announced this policy shift at the Executive Yuan, highlighting the relaxation of the current rules. Previously, only families with three children under the age of 6 could apply for such assistance, a standard considered by many as overly stringent.
The Ministry of Labor (MOL) reported that as of late January, only 2,003 of Taiwan's more than 870,000 migrant workers were employed as domestic helpers, tasked with household duties like cleaning and cooking. The new eligibility criteria allow households with one child under 12 to apply, provided they offer a monthly salary of at least NT$20,000 (US$626.36) and pay a NT$5,000 employment security fee per worker.
This security fee is a government levy intended to support labor welfare and manage migrant workers effectively. Additionally, foreign employers will be required to pay NT$10,000 per worker per month, maintaining the existing fee structure for both Taiwanese and foreign employers hiring migrant domestic helpers.
Su Yu-kuo, an official with MOL's Workforce Development Agency, noted that the expanded rules could qualify over 1.44 million households. Priority will be given to disadvantaged or special-needs households, allowing them to expedite their applications for migrant domestic helpers.
Su also clarified that while the policy relaxes eligibility criteria, the source countries for these workers remain unchanged, continuing to include the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand.
In response to concerns about potential impacts on the labor market, Chen stated that the Ministry of Labor will offer vocational training, employment incentives, and living subsidies to assist local babysitters and domestic service workers in transitioning to new roles as applications open on April 13.