The Tourism Administration today said it plans to improve protections for foreign interns in the hospitality industry, which is facing serious labor shortages.
Regulations are currently inadequate to ensure that interns are given fair compensation and working hours, agency Director-General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) told reporters after a meeting at the Legislative Yuan.
The agency discussed the matter with the Ministry of Labor last month and hopes to implement a comprehensive mechanism to ensure that foreign interns have sufficient stipends, insurance and time off, Chen said.
Photo: Tsai Yun-jung, Taipei Times
The plan is still under review, she added.
Foreign interns are an important source of labor for the hospitality sector, she said, adding that she hopes they would stay in Taiwan to work after their studies.
Taiwan’s hospitality industry currently has 10,000 job openings, 6,000 of which are for housekeeping and cleaning.
Foreign students may obtain internships in the hospitality industry, provided that their working hours do not exceed half of their total hours of study.
They may not receive a salary, but may be compensated via stipends and free or discounted accommodation, as decided by their school and employer.
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