Taichung Couple Indicted for Illegally Brokerage of Undocumented Migrant Workers for Domestic Cleaning

Taichung District Prosecutors' Office has indicted a married couple surnamed Chen for running an illegal brokerage business that utilized undocumented migrant workers for domestic cleaning services. The investigation, led by the National Immigration Agency (NIA) Taichung City Specialized Operational Corps, revealed that the couple operated a business named "Zhiren Housekeeping," which gained popularity in upscale residential areas of Taichung.

Authorities launched a joint task force with the Yuanlin Precinct of the Changhua County Police Bureau. In August 2025, they raided the company’s operations, detaining 33 individuals, including undocumented Indonesian migrant workers, foreign nationals with expired visas, the brokers, and employers.

According to the investigation, the husband managed the logistics, including housing and transportation, while the wife managed the company’s Facebook page to solicit orders. They marketed their service as "household elves," promoting workers as highly disciplined and skilled. The couple charged clients between NT$2,600 and NT$2,800 per day. While workers collected cash from employers, they were only paid NT$1,000 to NT$1,300, with additional arbitrary deductions for perceived poor performance. Officials estimate the couple illegally profited over NT$3.5 million over two years.

The couple has been indicted for violating the Employment Service Act. Employers and the foreign nationals involved have been referred to the Taichung City Government for administrative penalties. The undocumented foreign nationals have been deported and barred from re-entering Taiwan.