TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Tainan City Government and Ministry of Labor were censured by the Control Yuan on Friday over their handling of a human trafficking case involving two Kenyan nationals.

In 2022, two Kenyan workers arrived in Taiwan on artist visas, per CNA. However, their employer confiscated their passports and forced them into manual labor, including farm work and garbage collection.

The workers were paid less than NT$16,340 (US$500) per month—well below Taiwan’s minimum wage—and, in some cases, were not paid at all, according to a press release.

In 2023, the two workers sought help from the Tainan City Government, prompting an investigation. However, officials only conducted a single interview with them while their employers were present. The case was subsequently closed, with authorities claiming the workers had not raised objections.

Later, the National Immigration Agency identified the two as victims of human trafficking.

Taiwan’s migrant labor regulations, particularly those governing white-collar work such as artists, teachers, and chefs, contain loopholes that have been exploited by employers seeking cheap labor. The Control Yuan found that the company recruiting the workers was not registered as an employment service agency, violating the Employment Service Act.

Foreign artists and performers employed in Taiwan must obtain work certificates from official sources. The Control Yuan criticized the Tainan City Government for its lack of oversight and failure to properly investigate the incident.

The Ministry of Labor said new regulations were introduced in June 2024 to review questionable work permits more thoroughly. The case has been forwarded to the Human Rights Commission for further review.