Taiwan eases rules for hiring foreign caregivers
Taiwan eases rules for hiring foreign caregivers
TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Legislative Yuan (立法院) on Tuesday (Dec. 31) passed amendments to the "Employment Service Act" (就業服務法), allowing the hiring of foreign caregivers for seniors over 80 without medical assessments. The Ministry of Labor (MOL, 勞動部) expressed regret, citing potential challenges in finding or retaining foreign caregiver workers, which could affect care quality.
The new law exempts those over 80 and cancer patients between 70 and 79 from Barthel Index evaluations. Citing statistics from the Ministry of Interior (內政部) and the Ministry of Health and Welfare (衛福部), the MOL highlighted that Taiwan's population over 80 includes approximately 910,000 individuals, with about 530,000 being healthy, potentially creating a labor gap exceeding 100,000.
With 227,000 foreign family caregivers in Taiwan, MOL anticipates increased demand for migrant workers, worsening the market supply-demand imbalance. According to MOL, the primary source countries for these workers cannot immediately increase supply, and caregivers might prefer families with less severe care needs, leaving those with severely disabled individuals struggling to find or retain help.
Moreover, MOL warned that overseas recruitment, training, and introduction delays could extend beyond several months, increasing employment costs and impacting care quality. MOL emphasized its commitment to streamlining application procedures and timelines to safeguard the rights of families with critically ill members to hire foreign caregivers.
80歲以上長者聘僱外籍看護免巴氏量表 立院三讀通過
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