The hotel yesterday obtained employment permits for 37 Indonesian workers and can now proceed with the recruitment process, marking the hospitality industry’s first case under the new framework, the ministry said.
Regent Taipei specifically recruited foreign students who had previously received training at the hotel and demonstrated strong performance during internships, the ministry said.
The workers already possess hospitality service experience and are familiar with Taiwan's working environment, allowing them to begin work immediately upon arrival, it said.
The ministry has expanded permissions to hire international workers to address severe labor shortages stemming from Taiwan’s declining birthrate and transition into a super-aged society.
The scheme expands sources of foreign technical workers by allowing overseas recruitment and relaxing retention restrictions, extending coverage to the hospitality sector as well as cargo handling and distribution at commercial ports.
Under the policy guidelines, employers must give a NT$2,000 monthly raise to one domestic worker for every foreign technical worker recruited from abroad.
Foreign skilled workers differ from migrant workers, as they are required to meet certain educational, technical and language proficiency standards to satisfy the demands of frontline service and professional positions in the hospitality sector, the ministry said.
More than 50 hospitality operators have initiated domestic recruitment procedures, seeking more than 500 workers, ministry data showed.
Recruitment channels have already been established with Indonesia and Thailand, while a preliminary consensus has been reached with Vietnam, the ministry said, adding that Taiwan and the Philippines have also reached a consensus on signing a memorandum of understanding.
The ministry’s overseas recruitment center would continue to provide guidance to employers in completing recruitment procedures to hire foreign skilled workers, thereby shortening processing times, it said.
By Fion Khan
