Jean MartinTaiwan and India signed an agreement on Friday to bring Indian migrant workers to the island as labor-strained Taipei seeks to expand its foreign workforce beyond its traditional source countries of Southeast Asia.
Diverse Workforce in Taiwan:
Taiwan, a major semiconductor producer with an aging society, is host to around 700,000 migrant workers who come mostly from Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, many of whom work either in manufacturing or as home helpers for the elderly.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Labour said the memorandum of understanding had been signed between each other’s de facto embassies in Taipei and Delhi. However, implementation details will still need to be worked out.
Increasing Demand for Labor:
The ministry said the demand for workers in Taiwan for manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and other industries has continued to expand, which Taiwan is unable to fulfill itself, so the demand for migrant workers has increased year by year.
Positive Outlook on Indian Labor:
“The quality of Indian labor is stable; they are hard-working and well-considered,” the ministry said.
A small-scale pilot scheme will start first, and if that goes well, more Indian workers will be allowed in, it added, without saying how many workers may eventually come, only that Taiwan would decide the numbers.
Clarification on Workforce Numbers:
Taiwan has previously denied reports that up to 100,000 Indian workers may be allowed in.
India, like most countries, has no formal ties with Chinese-claimed Taiwan. Still, there is a close business relationship with India, wanting to encourage more Taiwanese tech companies to invest and manufacture in India.
India also has a difficult relationship with China, especially over their disputed shared border.
