As Taiwan’s population ages at an accelerating pace, demand for long-term care continues to rise. However, a chronic shortage of foreign in-home caregivers has left many families facing gaps in care and delays in recruitment. In response to such needs, the Legislative Yuan has passed amendments introducing a major policy shift to take effect on August 1, 2025. Under such amendments, individuals aged 80 and above, as well as those aged 70 to 79 diagnosed with stage II or more advanced cancer, may apply for a foreign in-home caregiver without undergoing a Barthel Index assessment. The application process has been streamlined to require only proof of identity and relevant medical or long-term care documentation. Once registered in the system, recruitment may be completed in as little as seven days, and for severe cases, the matching process may be shortened to as little as one day, significantly improving efficiency.

In conjunction with this regulatory relaxation, the Ministry of Labor has announced several supporting administrative and supervisory measures, including:
(1) Simplification of administrative procedures: reducing the time required for assessments and reviews to enhance hiring efficiency.
(2) Strengthened management and guidance: requiring local governments and recruitment agencies to reinforce legal compliance education, vocational training, and oversight of foreign workers.
(3) Enhancement of employment services and information systems: ensuring a lawful and transparent hiring process and reducing the risk of illegal employment.

Although this policy primarily affects the household employment market, business operators should remain attentive to its indirect implications, which may affect the following areas:
(1) Workforce stability and employee benefits: Easier access to foreign caregivers can help alleviate employees’ long-term care burdens, thereby reducing absenteeism and risks of turnover. Companies may consider incorporating long-term care support into employee assistance programs (EAPs) or other benefits schemes.
(2) Trends in foreign labor policy: The relaxation of foreign caregiver hiring requirements reflects the government’s increasing flexibility and reliance on migrant labor. For multinational enterprises, understanding these policy directions is valuable for assessing future workforce planning and compliance costs.
(3) Internal controls and risk management: corporate HR and legal departments may take this opportunity to review internal management of foreign employees, dormitory arrangements, and contract structures, so as to mitigate potential compliance risks arising from policy expansion or foreign-worker regulatory adjustments.

This significant shift in the foreign caregiver employment system not only addresses the challenges posed by an aging society, but also presents enterprises with new opportunities to recalibrate their human resources strategies. Companies that proactively integrate long-term care considerations into employee benefits and risk management frameworks will be better positioned to demonstrate foresight and resilience in terms of ESG aspect and corporate social responsibility.

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Sources: Press releases of the Ministry of Labor, etc.