Taiwan foreign minister Joseph Wu has told Philippine media in an interview that the Island is taking into consideration hiring more workers of Philippine origin and permitting them to stay for a longer period as well as allowing them to apply for Taiwan permanent residency.
According to an interview with the Philippine Star posted on Thursday, the minister said that the dialogue has been going on discussion for some time. "They might even be able to apply for permanent residency here in Taiwan," he said. But pointed out that he can not give any further details until a final decision is agreed upon.
Furthermore, the minister said that the migrant workers from the Philippines in Taiwan are an “integral part of Taiwanese society and their presence in Taiwan is appreciated.”
According to demographic reports by the Taiwan Ministry of Labor, at the end of April 2023, there were 154,027 overseas Filipino workers on the Island. It was said that the number accounted for 21% of Taiwan's total workforce of foreign workers in industry and social welfare. However, the Manila Economic and Cultural Office accounted for the number of overseas Filipino workers in Taiwan to be even higher at 200,000.
Minister moreover pointed out the reciprocal treatment from the Philippine government after the offer is granted.
Wu expressed hope that the Philippine government considers offering visa-free status to Taiwanese tourists visiting the Philippines. He reiterated that “If the Philippine government can do that, I am sure it will make it so much more convenient and easy for Taiwan to consider the extension of the visa."
It is noted that the visa waiver for Filipino travellers to Taiwan is set to end on the 31st of July. It has therefore been cited by the Office of Taipei Economic and Culture in Manila that following the expiration, Taiwan will reevaluate whether to continue the visa-exempt privileges for Philippine passport holders.
台灣正考慮僱用更多菲律賓工人並允許申請永久居留權
台灣外交部長吳釗燮在接受菲律賓媒體採訪時表示，島內正在考慮僱用更多菲律賓裔工人，允許他們長期居留，並允許他們申請台灣永久居留權。
據周四發布的《菲律賓星報》採訪報導，部長表示，對話已經討論了一段時間。 “他們甚至可以申請台灣永久居留權，”他說。 但他指出，在最終決定達成之前，他不能透露任何進一步的細節。
此外，該部長還表示，在台的菲律賓移民工人是“台灣社會不可分割的一部分，他們在台灣的存在值得讚賞”。
根據台灣勞工部人口統計報告，截至2023年4月，島上有154,027名海外菲律賓工人。 據稱，這一數字佔台灣工業和社會福利業外勞勞動力總數的21%。 然而，馬尼拉經濟文化辦公室的統計顯示，在台的海外菲律賓工人數量更高，達到20萬。
部長還指出，菲律賓政府在批准該提議後將給予互惠待遇。
吳邦國表示，希望菲律賓政府考慮給予台灣遊客赴菲免簽待遇。 他重申，“如果菲律賓政府能夠做到這一點，我相信這將使台灣考慮延長簽證變得更加方便和容易。”
據悉，菲律賓旅客赴台免簽政策將於7月31日結束。 因此，駐馬尼拉台北經濟文化辦事處表示，期限屆滿後，台灣將重新評估是否繼續給予菲律賓護照持有者免簽待遇。
Comments