The government is considering changing Chinese-language proficiency requirements to make it easier for migrant caregivers to acquire permanent residency, a Ministry of Labor official said on Friday.
Officials have discussed altering or waiving a requirement that individuals must pass the Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) Level 2 speaking exam to be reclassified as a “mid-level skilled worker,” said Paul Su (蘇裕國), deputy head of the ministry’s Workforce Development Agency Cross-Border Workforce Management Division.
Migrant caregivers employed in Taiwan for at least six years who meet the minimum wage requirement of NT$24,000 per month can apply to be reclassified as mid-level skilled workers. They can apply for permanent residency after working for five years under the designation. They must also pass the language proficiency test.
Photo: CNA
The ministry is considering allowing applicants to meet the language proficiency requirement by passing the TOCFL Level 2 listening exam, or by completing a set number of Chinese class hours at a community college, Su said.
The requirement could also be waived for caregivers at institutions and private homes earning more than NT$31,000 and NT$26,000 a month respectively, or if an employer certifies an employee’s language proficiency, he said.
The ministry’s rules regarding pathways to permanent residency have been criticized for failing to take into account migrant caregivers’ exclusion from the Labor Standards Act (勞動基準法), which stipulates mandatory days off for workers.
Due to this exclusion, many migrant caregivers employed in private homes say they lack the requisite time off to attend language classes.
While the government announced plans to raise the minimum wage for migrant caregivers in private homes last month, the current minimum wage of NT$17,000 per month is well below the required threshold for reclassification as a mid-level skilled worker.
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