Taipei: Taiwan's government is set to establish its first international recruitment center in the Philippines, marking a significant step in addressing manpower shortages by allowing employers to hire overseas workers directly without intermediaries.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) announced that the recruitment center is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2026. It aims to assist sectors with significant labor shortages, such as the hospitality and commercial port industries. Although the center's operations are yet to commence, Labor Minister Hung Sun-han revealed that a special task force is already accepting applications from local employers beginning January 1, 2026.
Prior to the center's inauguration, the MOL plans to engage with representatives from eligible sectors to provide clarity on the new recruitment policy. Despite applications opening in early 2026, Hung noted that newly recruited workers might not arrive in Taiwan until after the first quarter due to necessary administrative procedures.
Lydia Huang, director general of the MOL's Workforce Development Agency, explained that the center will facilitate direct dealings between Taiwan's government and foreign authorities. This move aims to alleviate the financial strain on foreign workers, who often face high brokerage fees. Under the new system, Taiwanese employers will cover costs such as flight tickets, health checkups, and visas for migrant workers.
The MOL is also considering the possibility of establishing additional recruitment centers in other key countries that supply migrant workers to Taiwan, including Indonesia and Thailand. As part of a new Cabinet labor policy introduced in mid-October, employers wishing to hire beyond the fixed migrant worker quota must increase the monthly salary of a local employee by NT$2,000 (US$63.69) and ensure that such hires do not exceed 10 percent of their workforce.
The government's initiative to open overseas recruitment centers is driven by demographic challenges, including a low birth rate, an aging population, and a skilled labor shortage, which have prompted local businesses to seek more international workers.