The Council of Labor Affairs yesterday reminded people interested in applying for low-interest labor insurance loans to do so before Friday next week, when the window for applications closes.
Every year, the council offers low-interest loans of as much as NT$100,000 (US$3,300) to low--income workers participating in the national labor insurance -system to help them get through the Lunar New Year holidays, a period that is especially difficult for those in financially poor conditions.
The special loan is now in its eighth year.
Council officials encouraged applicants to complete the process at local Land Bank of Taiwan branch offices before Jan. 14, adding that the earlier applications are filed, the earlier payments can be approved. Late applications will be turned down, the council said.
Applicants who have participated in the national labor insurance program for at least 15 years with no unpaid debt to the program can apply for a loan of up to NT$100,000 to be paid back within three years, at an annual interest rate of 1.41 percent.
The council has set aside a budget of NT$20 billion for the program this year, with as many as 200,000 individuals standing to benefit from the fund.
Like last year, the loan program this year started accepting applications on Jan. 1, with no significant surge in the number of applicants in the early days. Last year, in the three days after the Bureau of Labor Insurance began taking applications, more than 50,000 people submitted applications.
This year, a similar number of loan applications weren’t received until a week after the council began accepting applications. In contrast with last year, when the nation’s economy was still struggling, this year the council expects the number of applicants to decrease.
Applications can also be filed online and the necessary documents and identification can be presented in person at local Land Bank of Taiwan branches. The application processing takes between one and two weeks.
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