The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has released a short video to encourage Taiwanese youth to stay safe while participating in increasingly popular working holiday programs, which allow youngsters to work while traveling in other nations.
The video is available on YouTube and is to be shown during a series of briefings held by the ministry to help Taiwanese better prepare for travel and work overseas.
The four-minute animated video highlights a must-do list before going abroad on a working holiday, including purchasing overseas medical insurance and obtaining information on local labor and immigration regulations.
It also suggests things that Taiwanese on working holiday programs in foreign nations should pay attention to, including safety aspects of working environments and abiding by local laws.
The video advises people against performing illegal work, overstaying, drunk driving, speeding, driving while tired and receiving packages from unknown senders.
The ministry launched the video amid an increasing number of young Taiwanese, mostly aged between 18 and 30, participating in working holiday programs overseas, with media recently reporting traffic accidents, workplace injuries, labor exploitation and prostitution involving Taiwanese working holiday participants.
Ministry spokeswoman Anna Kao (高安) said the video was part of its efforts to help Taiwanese better prepare for travel and work overseas to ensure their safety.
Meanwhile, the ministry said it is also working with other relevant government agencies to hold three weekend briefings to promote safe working holidays. The first one was held in Taichung last week and the second was held in Kaohsiung yesterday, while the last is to take place in Taipei on Sunday, the ministry said.
The video is to be shown during the briefings, Kao said, adding that it is also available on the ministry’s Web site for working holiday programs and on YouTube.
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