Taiwan is preparing to roll out a major reform in its foreign labor system with plans to open its first-ever overseas recruitment center, starting in the Philippines. The facility is scheduled to begin operations in the first quarter of 2026 and is designed to allow Taiwanese employers to hire Filipino workers directly, bypassing private recruitment brokers.
The initiative is expected to streamline overseas hiring while offering stronger protection for migrant workers, particularly by curbing high placement and intermediary fees that have long been a concern.
The Ministry of Labor (MOL) said the center will initially cater to sectors experiencing acute manpower shortages, including the hospitality industry and commercial port services. Ahead of the center’s formal launch, a dedicated MOL task force will start receiving applications from interested Taiwanese employers on January 1, 2026.
To support a smooth transition, the government will conduct orientation sessions for qualified industries to explain the new recruitment framework. Authorities noted, however, that due to processing and administrative requirements, newly recruited workers are likely to arrive in Taiwan only after the first quarter of 2026.
A key feature of the program is the reduced financial burden on overseas workers. Workforce Development Agency Director General Lydia Huang explained that the new system will operate through direct government-to-government coordination. Under this arrangement, major costs such as airfare, health checks, and visa processing will generally be covered by Taiwanese employers, marking a significant departure from the broker-dependent system currently in place.
While the Philippines will serve as the pilot location, the MOL confirmed that similar recruitment centers are being planned in other major labor-sending countries, including Indonesia and Thailand. The move is part of broader labor policy adjustments announced in October, which also set conditions for hiring beyond existing quotas. These include raising local workers’ monthly wages by NT$2,000 and limiting additional foreign hires to less than 10 percent of a company’s total workforce.
As Taiwan continues to grapple with a declining birth rate, an aging society, and persistent workforce shortages, the government is increasingly looking overseas to fill critical labor gaps. The planned recruitment center represents not only a practical response to employers’ needs, but also a shift toward a more transparent, fair, and worker-centered approach to migrant employment—one that could significantly reshape Taiwan’s labor system in the years ahead.
