Taiwan’s first Employment Gold Card—a four-in-one document for foreign professionals comprising a work permit, residency visa, residency certificate and re-entry permit—was presented to YouTube co-founder Steve Chen by Premier Lai Ching-te March 9 in Taipei City.
Introduced under the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals promulgated Nov. 22 last year, the card provides holders with a variety of benefits including greater freedom in seeking and transferring jobs, relaxed residency requirements for family members as well as simplified access for dependents to the National Health Insurance system.
Taiwan-American entrepreneur Chen, who co-founded the video-sharing platform in 2005, was awarded the card owing to his technological and management expertise and plans to share this knowledge with local talents, according to the Cabinet-level National Development Council.
Lai said the gold card is part of government efforts to foster a friendlier and more convenient environment for foreign professionals. He expressed optimism that the measure would prove effective in encouraging leading talents like Chen to pursue careers in Taiwan and help fast-track the country’s industrial upgrading and transformation.
According to the premier, to further boost the nation’s appeal to foreign professionals, the government plans to establish a dedicated service center to handle Employment Gold Card application queries and assist holders settle in Taiwan.
The NDC is also working with other government agencies to upgrade Contact Taiwan—a Mandarin-English employment website operated by the Ministry of Economic Affairs—into a comprehensive, integrated portal for foreign job seekers. The site displays openings in a variety of sectors as well as information relating to visa applications, taxation and housing. (CPY-E)
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