Taipei, March 20 (CNA) The Ministry of Labor (MOL) is set to amend work regulations that would allow foreign students, including those of Taiwanese descent, who graduated from a Taiwanese university to work six types of jobs categorized by the ministry as “intermediate-skilled” jobs.
The planned revisions represent an interdepartmental effort to tackle a growing labor shortage, the MOL said. According to an estimate by the National Development Council, Taiwan’s industries face a shortfall of 400,000 workers by 2030.
The six types of jobs are assistant nurse, intercity and city bus driver and safety management system (SMS) personnel, inventory clerk, cargo vehicle drivers, and cargo vehicle driving assistants, Chuang Kuo-liang (莊國良), deputy head of the Workforce Development Agency’s (WDA) Cross-Border Workforce Management Division, told CNA on Tuesday.
Under the draft amendments, the minimum monthly salary set for graduated foreign students, including those of Taiwanese descent, working as assistant nurses is NT$34,000 (US$1,030.3); NT$39,000 for those working as inventory clerks; NT$43,000 for those working as cargo vehicle drivers or assistant drivers; and NT$50,000 for intercity and city bus drivers and SMS personnel, Chuang said.
The positions will be available to graduated students from Hong Kong and Macau, but not to those from China, according to Workforce Management Division head Su Yu-kuo (蘇裕國). Under Taiwanese law, Taiwanese businesses must apply to and gain the approval of the competent authorities if they want to hire Chinese workers.
The amendments will be made to employment qualifications, skill requirements, and regulations on changing employers. Su said. They will enter a public review period by the end of this month at the earliest, to solicit input from the public before they go into effect, Su said.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare estimates 25,000 to 35,000 foreign nursing assistants are needed.
Meanwhile, the Highway Bureau expects to recruit 613 intercity bus drivers, 30 SMS personnel, 2,300 cargo vehicle drivers and assistant drivers after the amendments come into force.
