(FWA 2025/05/27) Chou Yung-hui, Director-General of Taiwan’s Tourism Administration (M.O.T.C.), stated on May 27 that migrant workers will be conditionally allowed into the hotel industry through a special project. In response, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) reiterated its principle of prioritizing the rights of domestic workers in all matters related to the opening of cross-border labor.

While acknowledging the needs of industries, the MOL stated it will move towards attracting more overseas technical talent. Discussions and evaluations regarding whether to open specific industries are ongoing with relevant ministries, ensuring the most comprehensive consideration.

Taiwan’s hotel industry has faced a long-term labor shortage, particularly for housekeeping and cleaning staff, leading operators to consistently request government approval for foreign migrant workers. In August 2024, the MOL permitted graduated overseas Chinese and foreign students to work in the hospitality sector, with an initial monthly salary of NT$30,000. Employers offering a monthly salary of no less than NT$35,000 are exempt from training qualification requirements.

Director-General Chou Yung-hui indicated in an interview that the opening for migrant hotel workers would likely proceed as a special project trial. To ensure the protection of domestic workers’ rights, the current discussions propose certain conditions for employing migrant workers. These include language proficiency tests, requiring migrants to speak English or Chinese, and employers prioritizing local workers, such as middle-aged and female workers.

The Tourism Administration will further discuss these details with hotel associations and industry operators. If feasible, the trial could commence in the second half of the year, following the MOL’s guidelines. Chou also mentioned ongoing formal and informal discussions with hotel operators. Regarding the labor shortage, the continued employment of overseas Chinese and foreign students is also helping alleviate staffing pressures for businesses.

It’s understood that the Ministry of Labor has held multiple Executive Yuan meetings concerning labor shortages across various industries. The Tourism Administration’s proposal was recently discussed at the Executive Yuan but has not yet been formally finalized.

臺灣交通部觀光署長周永暉27日提到將有條件的專案開放移工給旅宿業；對此，勞動部回應，在跨國勞動力開放的議題上，一直是秉持本國勞工權益優先的原則，在兼顧產業用人的需求，未來會朝向延攬更多海外技術人力，至於相關產業是否開放，還在和各主管部會研議評估中，會做最周全的思考。

臺灣旅宿業長期缺工，尤其是房務清潔人員，業者一直希望政府可以開放使用外籍移工，但勞動部2024年8月開放已畢業僑外生可以從事旅宿工作，初聘每月薪資3萬元，若雇主願意給予每月薪資不低於3.5萬元，則可以免除訓練資格。

周永暉27日受訪時指出，此次旅宿移工開放的方式應該會是朝向專案方式先行，由於還要兼顧本勞權益，所以目前研議僱用移工必須要有些條件，例如移工需經過語言的測驗，要會說英文或中文等，另外雇主要先僱用本國勞工，像是中高齡、婦女優先等，後續觀光署還會再跟旅館公會以及業者進行討論，如果可行的話，下半年就可以照勞動部的方式試行。

周永暉說，目前也持續有與旅宿業者進行正式與非正式的開會討論，至於缺工問題，目前還有僑外生與外籍生的方式持續進行，這樣也能減輕業者缺工壓力。

據悉，勞動部對各產業缺工已多次在行政院開會，觀光署所提方案，日前也在行政院討論過，但尚未正式定案。