TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Nearly 15,000 Vietnamese migrant workers have entered Taiwan in the first two months of 2023, making up half of Vietnam's outward labor-seeking migration.

According to Vietnam government statistics, in the first two months of 2023, Taiwan was the biggest market for Vietnamese migrant labor, with 14,609 workers arriving in Taiwan, followed by Japan, which gained over 12,000, per CNA. Vietnam’s labor ministry expects the outward migration of workers to reach between 110,000 and 120,000 people this year, about 25% of the target so far.

Vietnam’s labor ministry stated in February that Vietnamese overseas workers are important resources for the country when they return home, as they improve “industry manners, labor discipline, and become the cultural bridge between Vietnam and the international.” The Ministry also said that the Taiwan labor market provides good income and working conditions for Vietnamese people. 

Despite Taiwan’s border opening, labor and activist groups have protested the discriminatory entry policies that blue-collar migrant workers face, as they must jump through more hurdles than white-collar foreign workers or tourists. A researcher from Taiwan International Workers' Association (TIWA) Wu Jing-ru (吳靜如) told Taiwan News in February that unlike others entering Taiwan from the same regions, migrant workers must upload evidence of a suitable quarantine facility and apply for reentry permits.

However, the opportunities to earn higher wages in Taiwan still make it an attractive location for Vietnamese workers. Vietnam’s ministry of labor deputy Nguyen Ba Hoan said that higher wages contribute significantly to the country’s income, increase savings, and improve the lives of workers and their families.