The government plans to issue a new Employment Pass by combining four different permits to streamline the application process for foreign professionals who want to work in Taiwan, the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) said on Friday.
The card will combine the applicant’s visa, work and re-entry permits and alien resident certificate into one, the ministry said in a statement.
TIME-CONSUMING
Currently foreigners who want to work in Taiwan must first file an application with the Council of Labor Affairs for a work permit, apply to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a visa, and then apply to the MOI for a resident certificate, the statement said, adding that the procedure is tedious and time-consuming.
The National Immigration Agency (NIA) has formulated the key points of the plan, which will be submitted to the Executive Yuan for approval, the statement said.
If the plan is implemented, the NIA will be responsible for the collection and transfer of application forms, the MOI said.
TRAVEL CARDS
The government is also planning to grant speedy immigration passage to foreign dignitaries and select businesspeople. It will issue academic and commercial travel cards to those who have won first prize in world-renowned competitions or who are internationally acclaimed academics and businesspeople, including research fellows in national research institutions.
Moreover, a “plum blossom” permanent residency card will be issued to immigrants with high-level professional and technical skills that are needed in Taiwan, and to immigrants who invest at least NT$30 million (US$882,000) in the country, the statement said.
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