TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — FamilyMart Taiwan said Tuesday that it has hired immigrant workers from several countries, including Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Myanmar, to work as store clerks.

FamilyMart Taiwan Board Director Hsueh Tung-tu (薛東都) said that it is partnering with the Pearl S. Buck Foundation on an initiative to hire immigrant workers. The company noted that it employed immigrant workers at one of its stores and plans to expand the program to its other locations, per CNA.

FamilyMart employs foreign store clerks under a flexible scheduling system with shifts starting as short as four hours, Hsueh said. Additionally, the company plans to offer one- to two-hour short shifts for part-time opportunities and to avoid late-night shifts.

Hsueh said the company will also train store managers to provide employment counseling and offer multilingual instructions to help immigrant workers understand their duties and adapt to the workplace.

FamilyMart has around 400 full-time foreign employees, primarily from Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia, comprising one-fifth of its full-time staff, Hsueh said.

Since 2011, the company has partnered with the Victory Social Welfare Foundation to employ individuals with disabilities as store clerks in six locations, Hsueh said. He added that the company has also established an immigrant-friendly environment offering multilingual services, selling popular Southeast Asian foods, and providing halal-friendly, pork-free options.

With over 800,000 migrant workers in Taiwan, President Chain Store Corp. said it will continue to promote a multilingual environment in its 7-Eleven stores. The company also plans to increase its offerings of pork-free meals to better serve Muslim customers.

Hi-Life International Co. said it will also continue to hire immigrant workers as store clerks, logistics staff, and in other support roles. The company added that it has partnered with the Children Are Us Foundation to employ individuals with disabilities as store clerks at its Tucheng location in New Taipei.