Taiwan's Effort in Recruiting Talents in the Digital Field for the Upcoming Decades

Do you know Taiwan is one of the most liveable places in the world for expats? As a matter of fact, InterNations found that Taiwan, a small sweet potato-shaped island located between the East and China Sea, was the second best place to live for expats for quality of life. 

Another factor that makes Taiwan's employment scene just so attractive is the ease of finding a job. There are plenty of job search sites for both students and seasoned professionals looking to start working in Taiwan as a foreigner. In some cases, the only requirement is a basic understanding of Chinese and a valid Taiwan work permit for foreigners.

In this article, we will share all the information about the prosperous opportunities in Taiwan for expats and the Taiwanese government's effort to attract foreign talents, especially in the Digital Field.

Taiwan is an open and inclusive society that welcomes talents from any country. As of May 2023, more than 800,000 foreign residents are living in Taiwan, accounting for around 3.5% of the total population. The largest share of immigrants are from Southeast Asian countries. The Taiwanese government previously stated its mission to attract more than 400,000 expats to come and live in Taiwan over the next decade. The government has opened up ten fields in the Employment Gold Card programs to facilitate any talent working in the country.

As we're entering the digital transformation era, Taiwan, along with other top countries, is embracing digital development. As a result, the Ministry of Digital Affairs (moda) has announced the "Foreign Special Professionals with Specialized Knowledge/Skills in Digital Fields" to accelerate the attraction and recruitment of digital talents to Taiwan. Simultaneously, moda aims to "connect citizens and technology, enhance industry and security, and introduce digital instruments and open mindsets" to transform Taiwan from a digital island to a "global model of digital democracy and innovation."

For several decades, Taiwan has firmly positioned itself as a talent hub creating countless highly educated professionals. Now, to further boost the mission of attracting talent to Taiwan, the government has developed different initiatives to support entrepreneurship and new tech companies. Many of these are new startup funds, laws to encourage foreign talent to come, Employment Gold Card and Entrepreneur Visa, and so on. 

With a wealth of rich culture and grand landscape from north to south, Taiwan is not only a tourist's dream but also a heaven for expats. Economy, safety, and weather (of course) are some other reasons why foreign talents are attracted to Taiwan and enjoy working in Taiwan.

Keep reading to understand more about the Taiwan Employment Gold Card Program.

The Taiwan Employment Gold Card is a 4-in-1 card comprising a resident visa, work permit, Alien Resident Certificate (ARC), and a re-entry permit for Taiwan. Valid for 1 to 3 years, this visa is perfect for specialized working professionals wanting to relocate to the tropical island of Taiwan. 

The Gold Card is also a great working visa in Taiwan for those with a travel buzz. Allowing for both full-time and part-time employment, in-office or remote, the Taiwan Gold Card makes it easy to zip out on a cheeky holiday with an unlimited re-entry permit.

So, whether you're working in Taiwan as a US citizen, working in Taiwan as a foreigner, or intending to lead your working in Taiwan expat life, why not consider the gold standard visa for working in Taiwan?

Gold Card is open to all nationalities and is eligible from any of the following ten industries: (1) Science and technology, (2) Economy, (3) Education, (4) Culture and the arts, (5) Finance, (6) Sport, (7) Law, (8) National Defense, (9) Architecture and (10) Digital.

On top of all the usual benefits of having a working visa in Taiwan (aka being eligible to work in Taiwan), the Taiwan Gold Card has a few additional perks:

1. Open work permit: With the open work permit, you can work for any employer, be self-employed, or start your own business here. This is perfect for any expat who wishes to work flexibly, as you can work for any employer or switch jobs at any time. You don’t need to apply for a new work permit as long as the current permit is valid.
2. Resident Visa for Family: If you want to bring your family with you on your journey to Taiwan, with your Employment Gold Card visa, your spouse and children can obtain a resident visa while your parents and grandparents can apply for a 1-year visitor visa. Be sure to plan ahead and make use of all available resources before your trip. Information like current job openings for your spouse or schools for your kids can be helpful when you arrive.
3. National Health Insurance: Among the benefits, the most useful one is that cardholders don't have to wait the usual six months to apply for National Health Insurance. Instead, Taiwan Gold Card holders can apply directly for their NHI once they start working in Taiwan. This applies to self-employed individuals working in Taiwan as a foreigner, too.
4. Permanent residency: Possessing an Employment Gold Card, you’re one step closer to obtaining a permanent residency in Taiwan. To meet the application requirements, your Gold Card should be valid for three years, and you should have resided in Taiwan for an average of more than 183 days per year. Once granted permanent residency, you will have the right to live and work in Taiwan, with all privileges and rights similar to those of Taiwanese citizens.
5. Income Tax Reduction: Since the Taiwanese Government wants to attract and retain talent in Taiwan, it has offered certain income tax benefits to expats. Gold Card holders who work in Taiwan for the first time and meet specified conditions are eligible to apply for a 50% tax exemption on annual salary income exceeding NT$3 million in the first five years. But keep in mind that the duration for this benefit may vary depending on the specific category the cardholder falls into. For more details, you can get in touch with The Taiwan Employment Gold Card Office representative.

What's more, Gold Card holders don't actually need a job lined up before they arrive in Taiwan. The only caveat is that they must find one within six months of arriving or becoming unemployed. Thankfully, that's an easily solvable situation with the abundance of online job search sites in Taiwan, like CakeResume's Job Board.

Here are the requirements: 

• Relevant work experience: If you want to apply for a Gold Card as a digital professional, you’ll need over eight years of professional experience in the digital economy sector
• Gold Card income requirement: Employed in a relevant field with a recent monthly salary of at least NT$160,000 (around 4,900 USD).
• Academic achievement: Graduated from a university ranked in the Top 500 worldwide and holding a doctoral degree from that institution.

Other achievements: Academic certifications, winning awards, or having more than four years of relevant work experience.

“Taiwan Gold Card is a great opportunity for people anywhere in the world who want to come and live in a lovely place where there's a really strong community of people who care about similar things. So it's good to definitely highly recommend anyone in the world to apply for it.”

Vitalik Buterin, Co-founder of Ethereum

Currently, the Taipei Computer Association (TCA) is offering some incentives for expats who visit Taiwan for digital field cooperation. These offers include flight tickets, hotels, and so on. These offers are only valid until October 2024. 

Now that we have the basics down, let's move on to three important FAQs for employment gold card holders.

Can I apply for a Taiwan Gold Card if I already have an ARC?

Yes, you can apply for the Taiwan Gold Card even if you already have an ARC. It's super easy to switch, too; just make the application and replace your old ARC working visa in Taiwan with the shiny new Gold Card. This applies to tourist visas as well.

Will I lose my Taiwan Gold Card if I lose my job?

No, you won't lose this special work visa Taiwan Gold Card if you lose your job. That's because the Taiwan Gold Card is attached to you, meaning employers don't need to sponsor you for a visa or work permit. 

Do I have to be permanently living in Taiwan to get a Taiwan GoldCard?

No, you don't have to be living permanently in Taiwan to be eligible for the work visa Taiwan Gold Card. In fact, there is no minimum requirement for how long you have to stay in Taiwan per year. 

And that's it! You should now know the benefits of working in Taiwan as a foreigner and the Gold Card Taiwan work visa requirements. Want to apply for a Gold Card Taiwan Work Visa? Apply it here. If you’re looking for employment in Taiwan, either before or after your arrival, CakeResume is one of the best online job search sites specifically for jobs in Taiwan. Whether it's the remote you're looking for or an office in the bustling heart of Taipei, CakeResume has you covered. They also have a super easy resume builder to make landing that life-changing job a piece of cake!

All information is provided by Ads of Administration for Digital Industries, moda
Originally written by the CakeResume team