TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Nearly 80% of migrant workers terminated their contracts after becoming pregnant in 2023. 

According to statistics from the Health Promotion Administration, about 6,000 migrant workers in Taiwan become pregnant every year. However, many are pressured to resign by employers and brokers after becoming pregnant, per UDN.

Data from the Bureau of Labor Insurance shows that nearly 78% of industrial migrant workers who receive maternity benefits terminate their contracts and return to their home countries.

Rising pregnancies among migrant workers

The migrant worker population in Taiwan has surpassed 800,000, with around 390,000 being women. Many of these women who have come to Taiwan to fill gaps in the labor force are of childbearing age. 

According to BLI statistics, from 2018 to 2023, the number of migrant workers receiving labor insurance maternity benefits rose sharply from 1,848 to 5,687, indicating a growing trend of pregnancies and births among migrant workers.

In 2022, the Control Yuan issued an investigative report calling on the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Health and Welfare to improve maternity protections for migrant workers. However, two and a half years later, challenges safeguarding their reproductive rights remain.

Case studies expose hardships

In October last year, a netizen posted surveillance camera footage showing a migrant worker giving birth on a bed in her employer's home, drawing widespread attention. Migrant workers in Taiwan face numerous challenges, from pregnancy and delivery to childcare, and often risk losing their jobs. 

Xiaomi's case

Xiaomi, who worked in a factory in Taoyuan for five years, shared her story with UDN. When she began planning for pregnancy, she worried she would be sent back to Indonesia if her employer found out. 

Only after a fellow worker assured Xiaomi about relevant protection laws did she and her husband proceed with their plans. However, after she became pregnant early last year, she did not dare inform her broker until a required physical in March.

When she refused an X-ray, her labor broker realized that she was pregnant and angrily accused her of breaking a prior employment agreement. She was advised to return to Indonesia to give birth but knowing her rights, Xiaomi insisted on staying in Taiwan. 

Forced resignation letter

The factory where Xiaomi worked had fewer than 50 employees. She initially thought she could save money while waiting for her baby to be born, but the broker told her, "The boss doesn't want a hassle and has no intention of keeping you." 

Deceived by the broker, Xiaomi was coerced into signing a voluntary resignation letter. The document was in Chinese, and she was not allowed to take a photo or ask anyone about it. 

A fellow worker told her the employer's actions may have been illegal. She sought advice but lacked evidence to pursue a case. 

Her husband called the Ministry of Labor’s 1955 hotline for advice, but they suggested she withdraw the case. Xiaomi said she learned the hard way to not sign documents without an Indonesian translation.

Her employer allowed her to continue living in the factory dormitory, but she had to pay for rent and utilities. With her husband far away in Yilan and unable to care for her, she eventually found assistance at the Garden of Hope Foundation's service center.

Xiaorui's case

Xiaorui, who worked as a caregiver for the same employer for eight years, also lost her job after becoming pregnant. She told UDN that when her employers learned she was pregnant, they did not explicitly say they would terminate her, but secretly increased her workload. 

As she was feeling unwell due to the early stages of pregnancy, she could not handle the additional work. She had no choice but to resign.

Xiaorui moved out of her employer's home and into her husband's factory dormitory. However, due to the inconvenience it caused her roommates and her husband’s irregular shift schedule, she moved into a service center.

Rising contract terminations

From 2018 to 2023, the ratio of workers receiving maternity benefits who terminated their contracts and left Taiwan spiked from 28.7% to 77.88%. In 2023 alone, 4,429 industrial migrant workers ended their contracts and left Taiwan. 

These figures do not include domestic workers not covered by the Labor Standards Act (勞基法) or labor insurance, suggesting an even higher number of unreported cases.

Legal protections exist, but challenges remain

Migrant workers are protected under Taiwan’s Gender Equality in Employment Act, which prohibits employers from dismissing, forcing resignation, or discriminating against employees due to pregnancy or childbirth. Violators face fines ranging from NT$300,000 (US$9,100) to NT$1.5 million and are prohibited from hiring migrant workers for two years.

Despite these protections, some employers, concerned about the potential inconvenience caused by pregnancy or postnatal care, collaborate with brokers to "legally" persuade workers to resign.