The National Development Council (NDC) is drafting a legislative proposal that would provide a fast-track immigration option for skilled workers from Hong Kong, a source said yesterday.
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Thursday last week announced that the government was formulating specific measures that would help people from Hong Kong seeking to relocate to Taiwan.
The measures would ease restrictions on Hong Kong graduates and professionals wanting to work and reside in Taiwan, and reduce requirements for obtaining residence through investment in the country, the MAC said.
Implementing measures to assist people from Hong Kong would involve amendments to a number of statutes and administrative systems, and would involve the NDC, the MAC, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Education and other government agencies, the source said.
As part of its proposal, the NDC is also seeking to implement a preferential taxation scheme for skilled foreign workers who want to immigrate, and reduce the wait time required to apply for permanent residence, to help the government attract those in international business and finance, the source said.
Currently, those seeking permanent residence can only do so after living in Taiwan for five years, and during those five years they must reside in Taiwan no fewer than 183 days per year.
Under the NDC’s planned proposal, the wait time would be reduced to three years, the source said, adding that the proposed bill would apply to all foreigners, but unlike other legislation concerning foreign immigrants, would also apply to people from Hong Kong.
The MAC is also expected to work with the NDC on revising articles 16 and 29 of the Regulations Governing Residency or Permanent Residency for People of the Hong Kong Area and the Macau Area (香港澳門居民進入臺灣地區及居留定居許可辦法), which stipulate the conditions under which people from Hong Kong can gain permanent residence, the source said.
The planned proposal would also call for an amendment to the minimum salary requirements for hiring Hong Kong graduates of Taiwanese schools, the source said, adding that Hong Kong residents — like other non-citizens — currently must be paid a minimum monthly salary of NT$47,971.
This would be reduced to NT$40,000 for Hong Kong graduates to make them more competitive in the job market, the source said.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
RSS