PETALING JAYA, Oct 18 (Sin Chew Daily) — Malaysian workers make up about 14% of foreign professionals in Taiwan, the second highest after the Japanese.

Anne Hung, Representative of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia, said Taiwan issued a total of 5,237 work permits to Malaysians and 8,241 to Japanese last year.

“This means that many Malaysian students stay back in Taiwan after graduating from the universities. While the Japanese are mostly sent to Taiwan by their companies in Japan, Malaysians are hired in Taiwan or recruited from Malaysia.

“This shows that Taiwanese companies like Malaysian workers,” said Hung.

Speaking at a virtual seminar on “Investment and job opportunities in Taiwan”, Hung said the government of Taiwan launched several measures to recruit foreign talents to work in Taiwan.

One of them is the Employment Gold Card to attract foreign professionals to work in various sectors such as science and technology, economics, education, culture, sports, finance, law and architecture.

Those eligible are entitled to three-year work permit, lower income tax and access to local healthcare facilities.

“To attract investments, the government of Taiwan offers various tax incentives, subsidies in research, talent and rent,” she said.

Hong Jin Xing, president of the Federation of Alumni Association of Taiwan Universities, Malaysia, said the Employment Gold Card offers foreigners the flexibility of working full time, part-time and job switching.

Among others, the Employment Gold Card covers work permits and resident visas for foreign professionals.

An Employment Gold Card holder is entitled to tax incentive, healthcare, residential status for spouse and children as well as up to one year social visas for immediate family members.

Please visit https://goldcard.nat.gov.tw/en/ for details.

The virtual seminar was organized by the Federation of Alumni Association of Taiwan Universities, Malaysia and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia.