Taiwan and India yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on migrant workers, the Ministry of Labor confirmed in a news release.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India, Taiwan’s de facto embassy, inked the agreement with its Indian counterpart, the India Taipei Association (ITA).
The ministry’s comments came hours after Chinese-language media reported that a labor agreement had been reached.
Photo: AP
The two nations inked the MOU via teleconference and pledged to conduct further talks on policy details, marking an advance in bilateral economic cooperation, the ministry said.
Representative to India Baushuan Ger (葛葆萱) and ITA Director-General Manharsinh Laxmanbhai Yadav have signed and exchanged documents toward finalizing the agreement, which is in sight, but has not been completed, it said.
The MOU stipulates that Taipei would decide the number of migrant workers and types of industries, New Delhi would handle recruitment and training, and that employment and border movements would be governed by the laws of both countries, it said.
Further details, such as where the workers would come from, qualification standards and recruitment methods are to be determined in future talks, the ministry added.
Negotiations on opening Taiwan to migrant workers from India began in 2020, but were shelved because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it said.
The ministry would present the agreement to the Legislative Yuan for ratification following its completion and draft supporting measures, it said.
An aging population and a falling birthrate have boosted demand for foreign workers, especially for labor-intensive work, beyond what Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand can supply, the ministry said.
Employer groups and lawmakers have urged labor officials to open new sources of migrant workers, it said.
More than 18 million Indians work abroad and are known for their skills, the ministry said, adding that they are primarily employed in construction, manufacturing, domestic labor and agriculture, which matches Taiwan’s needs.
Germany, Italy, France, Singapore, Malaysia and Middle Eastern countries have established migrant worker agreements with India, it said.
Last year, Japan inked an agreement to open the country to Indian workers. South Korea is planning to do the same and Israel is making plans to increase the number of Indian workers in its economy, the ministry said.
The Taiwanese passport ranked 33rd in a global listing of passports by convenience this month, rising three places from last month’s ranking, but matching its position in January last year. The Henley Passport Index, an international ranking of passports by the number of designations its holder can travel to without a visa, showed that the Taiwan passport enables holders to travel to 139 countries and territories without a visa. Singapore’s passport was ranked the most powerful with visa-free access to 192 destinations out of 227, according to the index published on Tuesday by UK-based migration investment consultancy firm Henley and Partners. Japan’s and
NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT: An official said that Guan Guan’s comments had gone beyond the threshold of free speech, as she advocated for the destruction of the ROC China-born media influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China content that threatens national security, the National Immigration Agency said yesterday. Guan Guan has said many controversial things in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” while expressing hope for expedited “reunification.” The agency received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification last year. After investigating, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and account for her actions. Guan Guan appeared as required,
Japan and the Philippines yesterday signed a defense pact that would allow the tax-free provision of ammunition, fuel, food and other necessities when their forces stage joint training to boost deterrence against China’s growing aggression in the region and to bolster their preparation for natural disasters. Japan has faced increasing political, trade and security tensions with China, which was angered by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remark that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would be a survival-threatening situation for Japan, triggering a military response. Japan and the Philippines have also had separate territorial conflicts with Beijing in the East and South China
A strong cold air mass is expected to arrive tonight, bringing a change in weather and a drop in temperature, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The coldest time would be early on Thursday morning, with temperatures in some areas dipping as low as 8°C, it said. Daytime highs yesterday were 22°C to 24°C in northern and eastern Taiwan, and about 25°C to 28°C in the central and southern regions, it said. However, nighttime lows would dip to about 15°C to 16°C in central and northern Taiwan as well as the northeast, and 17°C to 19°C elsewhere, it said. Tropical Storm Nokaen, currently
RSS