Officials yesterday rejected negative perceptions about Indian migrant workers that arose after the two countries on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding on the issue.
Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) called on the public not to stigmatize Indian workers, saying that migrant labor is necessary because local workers are not inclined to do the so-called “3K” — difficult, dirty or dangerous — jobs, including those in long-term care and construction.
If Taiwanese did apply for such positions, they would be prioritized, Chen said.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Lin Kuo-cheng (林國成) earlier yesterday said Taiwanese are worried about their jobs being taken.
Separately, Workforce Development Agency Director-General Tsai Meng-liang (蔡孟良) said that negative stereotypes of migrant workers should be rejected, adding that there are many talented Indian workers around the world.
Taiwanese tend to wrongly assume that migrant workers are a source of social issues, but the crime rate among migrant workers in Taiwan is less than half of that among Taiwanese, Tsai said.
There are about 18 million people from India working around the world, including about 8.5 million in the Middle East alone, 210,000 in Italy and 50,000 in Germany, he said.
Many countries have talked with India about bringing workers to their countries, including Japan and South Korea, Tsai said.
Israel is also considering expanding the number it admits amid a war-induced shortage, he said.
Labor shortages are a global problem and Taiwan’s industries could be at risk if action is not taken, he said.
Cabinet spokesman Lin Tze-luen (林子倫) said in a statement that because labor shortages are a problem in many industries, the government is looking to work with countries that have people willing to move to Taiwan.
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