First Indonesian Skilled Workers Arrive in Taiwan as Ministry of Labor Supports Overseas Recruitment for the Hospitality Industry
- Last updated:2026-09-14
To address the labor shortages caused by Taiwan’s declining birth rate and super-aged population, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) launched the “Multinational Skilled worker Enhancement Program” in January 2026, allowing the hospitality industry to recruit foreign skilled workers. The first group of 35 Indonesian foreign skilled workers, recruited by the Regent Taipei, arrived in Taiwan today (September 14). The new members of Taiwan’s hospitality workforce were welcomed at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport by Huang Wei-Cheng, Deputy Director of the Cross-Border Workforce Recruitment Center under the Workforce Development Agency, MOL, and Arif Sulistiyo, Representative of the Indonesian Economic and Trade Office to Taipei. This marks the first official arrival of foreign skilled workers in Taiwan’s hospitality industry since the launch of the Multinational Skilled worker Enhancement Program and represents the formal implementation of Taiwan’s overseas talent recruitment mechanism for the hospitality industry.
The MOL noted that the Regent Taipei successfully applied for employment permits for the first group of 35 Indonesian foreign skilled workers on August 13, 2026. All of the workers arriving in Taiwan previously received skills training and worked as interns at the hotel. As such, they have hospitality service experience and are familiar with Taiwan’s work environment and workplace culture. Through the Multinational Skilled worker Enhancement Program, the employer was able to recruit high-performing foreign skilled workers, which shortens the training and workplace adjustment period for workers coming to Taiwan, while also enabling them to quickly take on duties such as housekeeping, reservations and guest reception. In addition, these workers can speak Mandarin Chinese or English, which contributes to the long-term development of Taiwan’s tourism industry.
The MOL emphasized that the arrival of the first group of foreign skilled workers to work in the hospitality industry marks an important milestone for the “Multinational Skilled worker Enhancement Program” The program seeks not only to increase the foreign workforce, but also to improve working conditions for local workers and address the labor shortages faced by local industry. Hospitality businesses that raise the wages of their lowest-paid full-time basic level local workers by a minimum of NT$2,000 can apply to hire foreign skilled workers at a ratio of 1:1. Through a mechanism that promotes “higher wages for local workers and foreign skilled workers to supplement the workforce,” the program helps employers address labor shortages while also ensuring basic level local workers share in the benefits of industry development.
Huang Wei-Cheng explained that following the recent announcement that the Regent Taipei has obtained employment permits for foreign skilled workers, hospitality businesses across Taiwan contacted the ministry to express an interest in doing the same. As of the end of August 2026, more than 60 businesses had applied to undertake domestic recruiting, with total recruitment exceeding 600 workers. This indicates that the foreign skilled worker system is gradually gaining the attention of hotels and other hospitality businesses, while also reflecting the industry’s need for a stable source of workers. The hospitality industry plays a key role in the tourism sector and provides important frontline services to visitors. In other words, the size and stability of its workforce directly impacts the quality of accommodation services and the visitor experience. In response to the revival of the travel market and structural changes to the industry’s workforce, the MOL and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications will further promote the foreign skilled worker system. It is hoped that recruiting workers with professional expertise and language skills, will help to stabilize service capacity and improve workforce allocation in the local hospitality industry, while more broadly enhancing the quality and resilience of tourism and accommodation services in Taiwan.
Eligible tourist hotels and hotels with a need for foreign skilled workers can now make active use of the “Multinational Skilled worker Enhancement Program.” Employers are required to first visit public employment service agencies and conduct domestic recruitment before applying for eligibility certification and employment permits. For more information, please visit the “Foreign Skilled Workers” section of the Foreign National Labor Rights Portal (website: https://fw.wda.gov.tw/).
- Source:新聞聯絡室
- Publication Date:2026-09-14
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