(FWA 2025/05/05) Starting next year, Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) will officially implement “Inpatient Integrated Care Services” and establish a care assistant system. Following recent inter-ministerial discussions, the Ministry of Labor is currently amending regulations to allow overseas Chinese students, foreign students, and mid-level technical migrant workers to serve as care assistants.
According to the previously announced draft, the scope of work will be limited to inpatient integrated care service wards and will primarily focus on healthcare tasks. Due to public feedback on the draft, further inter-ministerial discussions are pending.
MOHW officials explained that Inpatient Integrated Care Services involve nurses and care assistants collaborating to share patient beds and shifts, aiming to reduce the need for families to hire 24-hour caregivers or provide long-term companionship for patients.
According to the Ministry of Labor’s recently announced draft, only hospitals providing Inpatient Integrated Care Services will be permitted to employ mid-level technical migrant workers or graduating overseas Chinese and foreign students as care assistants.
Regarding technical qualifications, individuals who have graduated from a nursing or long-term care department in a Taiwanese college or university with an associate degree or higher, completed a care assistant training program, obtained a care assistant technician certificate, or received a care assistant training completion certificate are all eligible.
衛福部明年起將正式辦理「住院整合照護服務」(Inpatient Integrated Care Services)，並建立照護輔佐人力制度；近期經跨部會研商後，正由勞動部修改法規，預計開放僑外生(overseas chinese students & foreign students)、中階移工(mid-level technical migrant workers)可擔任照護輔佐員(care assistant)。按日前預告的草案內容，工作範圍僅限於住院整合照護服務病房，並以健康照護工作為主；因外界對草案有意見，因此尚待後續跨部會討論。
衛福部官員說明，住院整合照護服務由護理師與照護輔佐員合作分擔病床、輪班，讓家屬可以不需要聘僱24小時看護或是長時間陪病。
根據此次勞動部預告的草案，僅限住院整合照護服務醫院聘僱中階移工或畢業僑外生擔任護佐。
技術條件方面，在臺灣大專校院護理或長照等科系畢業或完成照服員課程的副學士學位以上者、取得照服員技術士證、照服員訓練結業證明等都符合資格。
