TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Labor (MOL) on Thursday (May 26) announced that arriving migrant workers will from Friday (May 27) no longer have to undergo seven days of self-health management following quarantine.

Previously, migrant workers arriving from overseas had to first enter seven days of quarantine at an epidemic prevention hotel and then undergo seven days of self-health management at the same facility. MOL said in a press release the latter requirement has been discontinued to free up space in epidemic prevention hotels as they are increasingly being used by elderly and high-risk COVID cases who do not need hospital care or meet the conditions for home care.

According to the ministry, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) agreed to the policy change in order to provide more space in quarantine hotels and given the significantly shorter incubation period for the Omicron variant. Effective Friday, the requirement that arriving migrant workers stay at the hotel during their self-health management phase went into effect and also applies to foreign workers already in quarantine or implementing self-health management.

However, MOL emphasized that although migrant workers are no longer required to undergo self-health management in hotels, employers are still obliged to assist their foreign staff in implementing other epidemic prevention regulations, such as checking body temperatures and providing updates to authorities on their daily health status via text messaging.

The ministry also said that if migrant workers do not have any COVID symptoms following their quarantine, they can go to their job sites, but they must still wear face masks at all times. They are also not allowed to participate in group activities, such as dinners, parties, public gatherings, or other similar activities.

If the workers develop suspected COVID symptoms, employers must assist them in seeking medical care.

According to MOL statistics, as of Wednesday (May 25), 39,670 migrant workers have arrived in Taiwan since it lifted its ban on workers from the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand on Feb. 15. This includes 35,370 industrial laborers and 4,300 home care workers.

In terms of nationality, the largest number has come from Vietnam with 14,954, followed by Indonesia with 10,431, Thailand with 7,785, and the Philippines with 6,500.