Controversy over a recent visit by a group of civilians to a restricted military base with Apache helicopters continued to snowball yesterday, as several families in the group were suspected of illegally hiring foreign caregivers as domestic helpers.
Taipei Department of Labor Director Lai Hsiang-lin (賴香伶) said yesterday that employers could be fined between NT$30,000 and NT$150,000 if they are found to have forced migrant workers to engage in work outside of their original work permit.
By law, migrant workers registered as caregivers may only provide personal care for elderly family members or severely ill patients, while household chores or childcare responsibilities are considered illegal.
Investigators said on Sunday that six foreign nationals — including one Japanese man and five foreign caregivers or domestic workers — were among a group of 26 people who took part in a tour of a military base in Taoyuan’s Longtan District (龍潭) on March 29.
The tour, led by Lieutenant Colonel Lao Nai-cheng (勞乃成), an Apache pilot, sparked a public outcry after celebrity Janet Lee (李蒨蓉) posted four photographs of the visit on Facebook, leading to concerns about a lapse in military security and abuses of privilege.
An initial probe by the labor department showed that members of the group employed four migrant workers, including two Indonesians, one Vietnamese and one Filipino, Lai said.
“All the migrant workers present during the tour are registered as caregivers,” Lai said. “[However,] none of the members of the group were the subject of personal care,” Lai said.
Lai added that the department has requested additional video footage to clarify whether the foreign caregivers who accompanied the group engaged in work outside of their work permits — such as taking care of children or carrying luggage.
If employers fail to adhere to labor regulations after receiving a fine, the foreign caregivers under their employment can be transferred to other employers, Lai said.
However, the migrant workers would not receive punishment or face deportation, she added.
Workforce Development Agency Director Liu Chia-chun (劉佳鈞) said the Ministry of Labor has launched further investigations regarding potential legal issues related to the migrant workers in the group.
He said employers may be fined between NT$300,000 and NT$1.5 million (US$9,630 and US$48,151) for providing false information in their application for foreign caregivers, while employing services from a migrant worker registered under another employer would warrant a fine of between NT$150,000 and NT$750,000.
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