TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Labor (MOL) on Friday (Oct. 7) announced details for the new "0+7" formula that inbound migrant workers must follow from Oct. 13.

During a Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) press conference, MOL Workforce Development Agency Director-General Tsai Meng-liang (蔡孟良) said that foreign caregivers who serve people aged 65 or older or under the age of 6, immunocompromised, and other people at high risk of developing severe illness should spend the "0+7" period in hotels or dormitories. They are not allowed to stay at their employer's home during this period, except in special circumstances, in which case daily COVID testing will be required.

However, foreign industrial workers and caregivers who serve people who are not at risk of developing severe illnesses and test negative for COVID on a rapid antigen test may engage in work that is permitted during the seven-day epidemic prevention period.

The "0+7" plan does away with quarantine in favor of seven days of self-health monitoring. The following are the "0+7" regulations for arriving foreign migrant workers:

1. Before entry

Maintain current epidemic prevention measures and receive the full COVID vaccine regimen before entry.

In addition, seven days before migrant workers enter Taiwan, their employers or labor brokers should go to MOL's "Entry and Departure of the Foreign Labor Air Care Service" website. The hotel, dormitory, or employer's residence where the migrant worker will be staying must meet the principle of one person per room with a private bathroom.

If the migrant worker is staying in a hotel or quarantine dormitory, this information must be registered on the website at least three days before arrival in Taiwan.

2. After entry

The testing specifications are the same as those for inbound passengers. Migrant workers should undergo rapid antigen tests on the day of arrival (day 0) or day 1 of the "0+7" period, as well as the third, fifth, and seventh days or when they have symptoms.

Employers or labor brokers should also upload the results to MOL's immigration service website.

Employers or labor brokers should arrange for their own transportation or rent buses to assist inbound migrant workers in traveling to their self-health monitoring accommodations.

3. Management of self-health monitoring sites:

Industrial migrant workers (manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and fisheries)

During the "0+7" period, the same rules apply to industrial migrant workers as other inbound passengers. If they receive a negative result on a rapid antigen test taken within the past two days and enter the result on the MOL's immigration service website, they may go out and engage in work that is permitted.

Migrant caregivers (domestic helpers, family caregivers, and institutional caregivers)

Foreign caregivers who serve people aged 65 or older or under the age of six, immunocompromised, and other people at high risk of developing severe illness should spend the "0+7" period in hotels or dormitories. If they receive a negative test result on a rapid antigen test within the past two days, they can venture out but they are not allowed to engage in work.

For foreign caregivers who serve people who are not at high risk of developing severe illness and have registered and provided a doctor's order proving that their patients are not at high risk before entering the country, employers and labor brokers can arrange for them to stay in hotels, dormitories, or the employer's own homes. If they test negative on a rapid antigen test within the past two days, they can go out and engage in work that is permitted.

Special exceptions for caregivers

If the employer is unattended by caregivers and with the consent of the recipient of care or the caregiving institution conforms to epidemic prevention regulations and has the consent of the employer, they can spend their self-health monitoring in a hotel, dormitory, or the employer's home and engage in work that is permitted.

Hotel subsidy

If the employer arranges for caregivers to stay in a hotel for their self-health monitoring, the employer will receive subsidies of up to 50% of the daily room fee per person, up to a maximum of NT$1,250 per day (US$39).

If migrant workers test positive for COVID during '0+7'

Employers should assist migrant workers in seeking medical treatment. If a migrant worker is diagnosed with COVID, the employer or labor broker should immediately file a report on the MOL immigration service website.

If they are staying in a hotel or in the employer's home when the migrant worker tests positive on a rapid antigen test, the employer or labor broker should arrange for a special vehicle to transport them to an enhanced quarantine center to undergo quarantine. If they are staying in other accommodations, such as a worker's dormitory, they will undergo onsite quarantine.

(MOL image)