Taiwan's Minister of Labor, Hung Shen-han, states that the introduction of Indian migrant workers requires two preconditions amidst public debate.
Taiwan's Ministry of Labor announced that the first batch of Indian migrant workers might be introduced this year. Minister Hung Shen-han reiterated that the decision to introduce Indian migrant workers is supported by all political parties. He emphasized that the actual introduction depends on two preconditions: the demand from Taiwanese enterprises for Indian migrant workers, and India's ability to meet Taiwan's requirements and scrutiny. A proposal on the Public Policy Online Participation Platform on April 3rd to halt the plan has gathered over 33,000 co-signatories. The Taiwan-India Labor MOU was signed in February 2024 and approved by the Legislative Yuan mid-year, with cross-party support. The Ministry of Labor has been in discussions with India since then, carefully reviewing the process for nearly two years.
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- 📰 Published: April 13, 2026 at 16:50
- 🔍 Collected: April 13, 2026 at 17:01 (11 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 13, 2026 at 17:12 (10 min after Collected)
The Ministry of Labor stated that the first batch of Indian migrant workers could be introduced as early as this year. Minister Hung Shen-han reaffirmed today that the introduction of Indian migrant workers has received cross-party support. He stressed that the decision to proceed with the introduction is contingent on two factors: the demand from Taiwanese businesses for Indian migrant workers, and whether India can fulfill Taiwan's specific requirements and oversight standards. A proposal initiated on April 3rd on the Public Policy Online Participation Platform, advocating for an immediate halt to the Indian labor introduction plan to prioritize public safety and gender equality, has garnered over 33,000 co-signatories as of today. On April 9th, Hung Shen-han stated in the Legislative Yuan that the first group of Indian migrant workers might arrive this year. He reiterated via Facebook today that the Ministry of Labor is responsible for maintaining diverse sources of foreign labor to meet Taiwan's increasing labor demands, a sentiment shared by many industries. Hung Shen-han noted that the "Taiwan-India Labor MOU" was signed in February 2024 and submitted to the Legislative Yuan for review in mid-2024. The review passed with the participation and support of all political parties. Under this administrative and legislative authorization, the Ministry of Labor began further consultations with India. Hung Shen-han explained that during these consultations, both Taiwan and India presented their respective expectations and requirements. Recognizing the high public concern regarding this matter, the Ministry of Labor has been meticulously ensuring compliance, putting forth essential and necessary demands from Taiwan's side. Hung Shen-han underscored that the future introduction of workers depends on two prerequisites: the demand from enterprises for Indian migrant workers, and the ability of India's implementation plan to meet Taiwan's requirements and oversight. If these two principles are not met, there will be no introduction, and thus no timeline. Hung Shen-han concluded that the careful review process has been ongoing for nearly two years since the MOU's approval by the Legislative Yuan, emphasizing that the ministry is not acting rashly and will not do so.