The waiting period for foreign laborers changing employers will be shortened and the chances of their finding new employers will increase after new rules go into effect tomorrow, the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) said yesterday.
The new regulations will benefit migrant workers who want to change employers, change industries or move to another part of the country.
The new rules state that as long as consensus is reached between the foreign worker, the old and new employers, or between the new employer and a worker whose contract was discontinued because of faults on the part of the old employer, the new employer will not have to register the move with the employment service center but can apply directly to the council for permission.
"It will shorten the waiting time for foreign laborers to find new employers," a council official said.
The official said that to provide foreign laborers with more opportunities, they will be able to change jobs from one industry to another and from one region to another, while their employment can be continued by new employers who have a recruitment permit or are qualified to hire foreign laborers.
Foreign laborers will have up to 60 days, as opposed to the original six weeks at most, to find new employers before having to leave the country.
The Bureau of Employment and Vocational Training has a Web site (www.evta.gov.tw) and registry for foreign laborers and employers. More information can also be obtained by calling (02) 8590-2320.
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