Taipei: The Ministry of Labor (MOL) said Monday that it is reviewing a proposal by President Lai Ching-te to extend eligibility to hire migrant domestic helpers to families with only one child.
According to Focus Taiwan, Lai stated in an interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times that his administration is considering the policy as part of its commitment to addressing social and livelihood needs. Currently, eligible households include parents of children under 6 years old, and individuals with a parent or in-law who is 75 years old or older.
Households must meet certain criteria under a point-based system and score 16 points to recruit a migrant domestic helper. For instance, households with three children under 6 years old and those with four children, two of whom are under 6 years old, are eligible to apply.
The MOL reiterated that alleviating the childcare burden remains a key government priority. It noted that it recently introduced more flexible parental leave policies and will continue reviewing migrant domestic worker regulations while taking into account public opinion.
As of the end of July, there were 2,000 migrant domestic helpers in Taiwan, MOL statistics showed.
