A new “one-stop service” featuring extended pre-employment orientation for newly arriving migrant domestic helpers and caregivers has kicked off with a total of 60 workers entering the program, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) said Monday.
Of the 60 new workers who arrived in the early hours of Monday after several hours of flight delays, 59 were Indonesian and one was Vietnamese, the MOL’s Workforce Development Agency said in a statement.
Starting Jan. 1, all newly arriving home-based migrant caretakers and domestic helpers are required to undergo a three-day, two-night pre-employment orientation program at a location in Taoyuan in northern Taiwan or Kaohsiung in the south.
Before that, migrant workers entering Taiwan received a 30-minute course on local laws and workers’ rights at the airport.
The extended program is part of a new “one-stop service” that significantly shortens the time needed for migrant workers to complete entry registration, obtain work permits, residency cards and join the National Health Insurance system.
The orientation, conducted in the native languages of the workers, who are Indonesian, Vietnamese, Filipino and Thai, aims to help them better understand occupational health and safety, labor rights, disease prevention, and general information about working in Taiwan, so they can integrate more easily into local society, the WDA said.
Meanwhile, the two centers, located in Taoyuan’s Longtan District and Kaohsiung’s Siaogang District, provide free Wifi for migrant workers to connect with their families and friends, and feature reading and recreational areas, including table tennis facilities, the WDA said.
One of the participants, an Indonesian worker named Umi, said it is her first time in Taiwan and she feels very happy and safe undertaking the program with instructors who can speak her native language.
Many of her friends who worked in Taiwan in the past had to find out the information they needed by themselves, Umi said.
She also originally thought there wouldn’t be many food options for Muslims but was surprised to find that the food provided and prayer room at the center cater to her religious needs, Umi added.
Meanwhile, a Vietnamese worker, surnamed Nguyen, said after checking in to the center, she wanted to see more of Taiwan, especially the iconic Taipei 101 building, Taipei Zoo, and even for a trip to eastern Taiwan’s scenic Taitung.
According to the MOL, the orientation program will begin with newly arrived home-based migrant caretakers and domestic helpers before it is evaluated and eventually expanded to include all migrant workers.
There are 725,367 migrant workers in Taiwan, according to data released by the MOL at the end of November.
Migrant workers play a major role in the local economy and society and bring with them their own traditions, culture and faith, which make Taiwan a more multicultural and vibrant society, according to the ministry.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel