TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan is increasing support for its growing number of foreign workers through housing, language, and welfare programs, Nikkei Asia reported on Monday.

The country’s aging population has increased reliance on international labor since the 1990s. According to the Ministry of Labor, more than 800,000 foreign workers now make up 7% of Taiwan’s total workforce, twice the proportion seen in Japan.

Many of them come from Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Thailand to fill jobs in nursing care and manufacturing. More than 80% of foreign workers in Taipei are employed in social service roles such as elderly care.

Groups like the Taiwan International Workers’ Association, founded in 1999, have helped foreign workers deal with exploitation and discrimination. Yvonne, a Filipina caregiver, told Nikkei Asia that she was allowed only two minutes for bathroom breaks before TIWA helped her switch employers.

Maggie, another Filipina worker, said a senior man she cared for repeatedly entered her room at night. She left the household and found a new job with TIWA's help.

Local governments are also expanding protections and community programs. Taoyuan, home to nearly 130,000 foreign workers, opened Taiwan’s first support center for pregnant and new mothers in 2021.

The MOL operates a 24-hour multilingual hotline for legal consultations and inspects workplaces within three months of a worker’s arrival. Officials said the government plans to boost subsidies that allow caregivers to take leave, with the budget set to grow 30% this year and again in 2026.

In May, Indonesian caregivers protested outside MOL in Taipei to demand the removal of Taiwan’s 12-year work limit and the end of private brokerage agencies. The ministry said it is enhancing its Direct Hiring Service Center to connect migrant workers directly with employers and improve labor protections.