TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) said the city’s new immigrant population has surpassed 65,000, accounting for roughly 2% of the total population.

Taichung Civil Affairs Bureau Director Wu Shih-wei (吳世瑋) briefed a city council meeting Tuesday on the living conditions of new immigrants and the city government’s support measures, per CNA.

Lu said most of Taichung’s new immigrants arrived through marriage. The adjustment process — including language acquisition and adaptation to local customs — takes time before full integration into Taiwanese society is possible, she added.

Wu said the city government offers services including life counseling, healthcare access, employment assistance, educational support, parenting resources, and enhanced legal protections. These programs aim to help new immigrants settle more smoothly into life in Taiwan.

As part of its life counseling efforts, the city has set up 528 consultation counters and hotlines. Around 50 trained personnel assist with language interpretation during medical visits, handling about 8,000 cases each year.

The government has also established four learning centers for new immigrants, offering approximately 250 courses annually in language, culture, and family education — attracting more than 11,000 participants. It also set up a new immigrant affairs committee, chaired by Lu, to coordinate cross-departmental policies.

According to the Ministry of the Interior, Taiwan had about 570,000 new immigrants as of May 2024, most from China, followed by Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines. They now make up nearly 2.5% of the total population — close to surpassing Taiwan’s Indigenous population of 600,000.

The government currently offers 72 hours of free Mandarin classes for new immigrants. However, some in the community say these courses often require a minimum number of participants to be held. In rural areas, where new immigrant populations are smaller, classes may be canceled due to low enrollment.

They also hope the government will provide courses in Taiwanese Hokkien and Hakka, as both languages are widely used in daily life.