The manufacturing industry would be the first to accept workers from India, starting with no more than 1,000 no sooner than a year from now, Minister of Labor Ho Pei-shan (何佩珊) said yesterday.
Ho and other labor officials appeared in front of two legislative committees, which were jointly reviewing a memorandum of understanding signed with New Delhi earlier this year on accepting migrant workers from India.
The legislature must now ratify the agreement and supporting measures drafted by the Ministry of Labor.
Photo: CNA
The first phase would involve only a small number of workers, Workforce Development Agency Director-General Tsai Meng-liang (蔡孟良) said.
Priority would be given to direct hiring and “quality” intermediaries commissioned by the government, Tsai said.
Effort would also be made to ensure that the incoming workers do not “destabilize” the country, and adapt to its language and culture, he added.
The ministry is still deciding how to enable direct hires, and is considering a new method, Ho said, without elaborating.
The memorandum of understanding states that Taiwan decides on the number of workers that may be hired and the quotas per industry.
Ho said that the ministry has already sought opinions from the Chinese National Federation of Industries, and would consult with employers after the agreement is finalized to determine which industries most require additional labor.
The number of workers brought in for the initial trial phase would not exceed 1,000, Ho said.
No specific timeline has been set either, she said, adding that it would take more than a year.
Asked whether the quota would be greatly expanded in two or three years, Ho said that things must “of course proceed step by step,” or the incoming workers might find it hard to adapt to Taiwan.
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