Taipei: The Ministry of Labor (MOL) is currently evaluating the possibility of allowing migrant workers to enter the accommodation sector, Labor Minister Hung Sun-han announced. This follows discussions within the Tourism Administration earlier this year.
According to Focus Taiwan, the accommodation sector has been grappling with significant labor shortages, particularly in housekeeping roles, which has impacted the operational capacity of hotels. The Tourism Administration reported a shortfall of 8,000 workers last year, which included a deficit of 5,500 housekeeping staff, forcing hotels to limit room availability and, consequently, their revenue.
Minister Hung emphasized the importance of safeguarding the rights of migrant workers and ensuring that the opportunities for local workers remain unaffected. He also highlighted the need for employers to improve working conditions to attract more local workers to the sector.
To address these labor shortages, the Ministry of Labor's Workforce Development Agency permitted graduating foreign students to work in the industry from August 2024. However, this measure has not sufficiently addressed the workforce gap. Labor groups have argued that insufficient wages are a barrier to attracting workers, while businesses advocate for the inclusion of foreign migrant workers in the accommodation sector.
Currently, foreign migrant workers in Taiwan can only work in construction, manufacturing, and domestic caregiving roles. The MOL has previously been hesitant to expand this to include the service sector. Former Minister of Labor Ho Pei-shan expressed concerns in May 2024 that such a move could adversely affect employment conditions for middle-aged, elderly workers, and women, citing lower workforce participation rates for these groups compared to Japan and South Korea.
Hung acknowledged the differences between the manufacturing and service sectors and stated that these factors would need thorough discussion and assessment. His comments align with those of Tourism Administration Director-General Chou Yung-hui, who mentioned in May the potential for implementing this policy in the latter half of 2025.
The MOL is taking charge of the policy development, with input from the Tourism Administration, as it considers the broader implications for the labor market and the accommodation industry.