TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The National Development Council on Thursday announced proposals that would enable eligible foreign professionals to obtain permanent residence after one year and extend the duration of the digital nomad visa up to two years.
The new incentives are among several proposed amendments to the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals that the NDC released for public review on April 2, per CNA. The draft is expected to be submitted to the Cabinet after the public comment period concludes on May 2, intending to have it reviewed by the legislature during the current session.
Drawing inspiration from Japan’s J-Skip system, the new provision allows “foreign specialist professionals” who meet specific criteria and have legally resided in Taiwan for one year to apply for permanent residency. One key criterion to be included in this new “global elite” category is an annual salary of NT$6 million (US$182,000) or more.
This contrasts with Gold Card holders, who must continuously reside in Taiwan for three years before qualifying for permanent residency.
Under the proposed changes, the digital nomad visa would be extended from six months to a maximum of two years. The visa enables foreign professionals who work remotely via digital means without being employed by or providing services to a business entity within Taiwan to stay in the country.
To attract talent early, the NDC proposes granting personalized work permits to individuals with a bachelor’s degree or higher from one of the world’s top 200 universities. This system is inspired by the UK’s High Potential Individual visa.
The NDC said that while job-seeking visas previously existed, they lacked strong incentives. The new system would allow top-tier graduates to work in Taiwan without being employed by a specific company.
They would also be allowed to take freelance or contract jobs, offering more flexibility in work arrangements. The permits would have a maximum duration of two years.
One provision eases the restrictions to allow foreign professionals, foreign specialist professionals, and foreign senior professionals to participate in the retirement pension system under the Labor Pension Act before they have been granted permanent residency. A separate provision extends coverage under the Employment Insurance Act to foreign professionals employed in Taiwan and granted permanent residency.
Another provision would enable Taiwanese who hold another foreign nationality and do not have household registration in Taiwan to be employed without a work permit.
