(FWA 2025/12/30)According to official statistics and rough estimates, the total foreign workforce in Taiwan hits approximately 1.19 million people. Among them, the largest proportion consists of over 860,000 migrant workers. Although the proportion of technical personnel is relatively low, the number of skilled migrant workers (mostly converted from senior migrant workers) has grown by over 40% in the past year, and the proportion of international students entering the workforce has also grown by nearly 30%. However, the number of expats obtaining permanent residence (APRC) in Taiwan remains low. To attract and retain talent, the government has recently launched aggressive policies to attract international students, including relaxing the years required for permanent residence starting next year. Additionally, preparations are underway to launch a new system for the direct overseas recruitment of technical personnel.

Blue-Collar Workforce Overview and the Rise of AI Industry

According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Labor (MOL) on December 20, the total number of blue-collar migrant workers in Taiwan was approximately 866,000 by the end of November this year, an increase of about 48,000 (around 6% growth) compared to the previous year. The majority of blue-collar migrant workers are concentrated in the manufacturing sector, exceeding 480,000 people. More than half of these workers are employed in the metal products, electronic components, food manufacturing, and machinery industries. The construction industry employs about 35,000 workers, while the agriculture and fishing sectors employ 23,000.

Additionally, there are over 200,000 foreign domestic caregivers assisting in accompanying and caring for the elderly and sick in many households across Taiwan. In comparison, there are only 16,000 caregivers employed in institutional care settings.

Due to the impact of US tariffs this year and the significant replenishment of the manpower gap following the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the growth rate of migrant workers has slowed compared to the previous year. However, the AI industry stands out as a bright spot. Sectors including chips, AI servers, and even the extended power infrastructure supply chain have continued to recruit steadily or even massively. Related industries have hired approximately 15,000 new migrant workers this year.

Regarding nationalities, Indonesian nationals are the largest group with approximately 324,000 people, followed by 295,000 from Vietnam, 175,000 from the Philippines, and 72,000 from Thailand. The number of Thai workers has noticeably decreased this year, while the growth rate of Filipino migrant workers is relatively higher compared to other countries.

Skilled Labor, International Students, and Overall Employment Structure

Beyond blue-collar migrant workers, Taiwan currently hosts nearly 56,000 foreign professionals. There are also nearly 46,000 intermediate skilled workers (mostly converted from senior blue-collar migrant workers, concentrated in manufacturing and domestic care), an increase of 13,000 (43% growth) compared to the same month last year. Additionally, approximately 74,000 international students hold work permits, an increase of 16,000 (28% growth) compared to the same month last year.

Furthermore, according to data from the National Immigration Agency, there are nearly 200,000 foreign spouses (New Immigrants) who have obtained residence. Based on rough estimates from past employment ratio surveys, approximately 150,000 of them are likely employed.

Summing up the above figures, the total number of expats and foreign workers entering the employment market in Taiwan is approximately 1.19 million, but the overall structure is heavily weighted towards migrant workers. In terms of population proportion, the number of foreign workers is lower than in Japan but comparable to South Korea. However, compared to both Japan and Korea, the proportion of expats who have obtained permanent residence in Taiwan is relatively low, with only 46,000 people as of November this year (of which 6,500 are engaged in domestic work).

New Policies: Easing Permanent Residence and Direct Overseas Hiring

Taiwan’s recent policy focus has been on attracting international students. In 2024, the number recovered to 123,000, with nearly 80,000 pursuing degrees. Next year, graduating international students will be granted a 2-year unrestricted job search period. Additionally, time spent studying in Taiwan will count toward the years required for permanent residence: PhD graduates can deduct 3 years, Master’s graduates 2 years, and Bachelor’s or Associate degree holders 1 year.

Moreover, the government plans to launch a new system for the direct introduction of overseas technical manpower next year. The government will establish a talent pool directly overseas for specific technical jobs to introduce foreign talent with professional knowledge, skills, and international language capabilities.