A series of measures aimed at loosening regulations on the entry of foreign professionals were submitted to the Executive Yuan, Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) Vice Chairman Thomas Yeh (葉明峰) said yesterday.
“We suggested the government emulate the US green card, EU blue card and South Korea’s IT card, gold card and science card ... to set up a visa program to attract highly qualified immigrant workers,” Yeh said after a Cabinet policy meeting.
The officials gathered to discuss measures to recruit foreign high-tech personnel.
Three types of such visas were considered — an educational and business travel card, an employment visa card and a permanent resident card, Yeh said.
Under the proposal, foreigners — subject to certain conditions — could make unlimited entries for stays of under three months if they were granted educational or business visas.
At present, people invited to give speeches or to give guidance on technology are given a 14-day single-entry visa.
The proposal also suggested the government replace traditional visas issued to foreign high-level professionals with an employment visa card — a combination of a work permit, alien resident certificate and re-entry permit, valid for three years. This card would entitle holders to unlimited visits, change jobs without having to get new work permits, to stay for an extra three months after a job expires to find a new job and apply for permanent residency if they work for another three years.
Yeh said that the government will complete regulations needed to launch a permanent resident card by the end of June.
Vice Premier Chiou I-jen (邱義仁) said officials should devise measures to implement the plan as soon as possible, Yeh said.
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