A draft immigrant rights act has been sent to the Executive Yuan for review, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said on Wednesday, while calling for the establishment of a committee dedicated to immigrant affairs.
A draft basic act for new residents was discussed in the legislature’s Internal Administration Committee on April 29. However, as no conclusion was reached, lawmakers decided to wait until another version was submitted by the new administration after the inauguration on May 20.
The committee met again today to discuss various legislators’ proposals for an immigrant rights act.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
Speaking to reporters before appearing at the committee, Liu said that immigration is good for the nation’s declining birthrate and society as a whole.
There are about 600,000 immigrants in Taiwan, necessitating a dedicated law to manage their rights, she said.
The Ministry of the Interior has already sent its version to the Cabinet, which has yet to propose a finalized draft, she added.
Between the three major parties, eight or nine drafts have been proposed, she said, calling on the Cabinet to consolidate their views into one bill.
In her report to the committee, Liu said she would ask the Cabinet to expedite review of the bill.
Issues under debate include the name of the act and definition of “new resident,” she said.
In its version, the ministry suggested the name “new resident rights protection act,” since calling it a basic act might encroach on the domain of other laws, she said.
Separately, the ministry also hopes to establish an immigrant affairs committee under the Cabinet to dedicate personnel and funds to related initiatives, and consolidate policies among agencies, Liu said.
Issues to be handled by the committee would include establishing a national-level system for language interpretation and liberalizing academic qualifications, she said.
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