So as expected the shorted period (from 5 years to 3 years) applies only to folks categorized as “special foreign professionals”:
easing the conditions for foreign professionals to obtain permanent residency by shortening the requisite duration of residence from five years to three years for foreign special professionals
Guy
so yo apply for your aprc you have to have an arc in taiwan for 5 years straight?
what if you switch jobs?
like for example, you had a job, then swapped to one of those extension arc’s without a job, and then found a job again. how does that work?
it has been fine as long as there is no gap.
To add to @tando 's reply: if you have doubts or questions, contact your local NIA to ask how your status looks—and how much more time you would need to apply for an APRC. They have access to your records and will let you know.
Guy
what constitutes a gap? like if you don’t have an arc for a specific amount of time?
But does this apply retroactively to people already on GC here ?
We don’t know the specifics of your case. Contact your NIA office please. Really they make the determination. They will let you know.
Guy
The Act that passed the Legislative Yuan is not yet law.
But when it is, you could contact your NIA office to see how your case looks. If you’re a Gold Card holder (and hence a “Foreign Special Professional”) your situation will almost certainly be more favourable.
Guy
Looks like there’s gonna be a long wait maybe ?
https://law.moj.gov.tw/ENG/LawClass/LawHistory.aspx?pcode=A0030295
“ The amendment was set to be effective since Jan. 1, 2023 by the Executive Yuan Order Yuan-Tai-Jiao-Zi No. 1100004559”
That’s quite the wait! Does it really take that long for the bureaucratic machine to catch up and get all the memos? 
Guy
Well given Taiwan’s inefficiency, I’m won’t be surprised. I won’t even be surprised if they say it won’t be applied retroactively!
isn’t it for the previous amendment in 2021 Jan? I didn’t realize it was set to be effective since Jan. 1, 2023.
This is one of those cases when I’d definitely cross-check the original Chinese announcement to see if this is a typo (too common as folks try to translate from ROC years to AD).
Guy
Yes. The Foreign Talent Act was amended at that time along with many other laws to reflect the age of majority changing from 20 to 18.
However, I would not be surprised if it took several months to implement all the changes made in yesterday’s amendment. It’s just practical things like regulation updates, new procedures, training front line staff, updating websites, etc that take a bit of time because so many people and organisations are involved.
Another news link on that:
Legislature passes amendments promoting recruitment of foreign talent
https://www.taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=10&post=202740
Did anybody else hear this? Can anyone else share any more information? I just finished two years of public school teaching and am taking a bit of a break but would do a third if this were the reward at the end…
it will probably come to effect only next year. up to you if you want to wait for it to finalize
sigh This (K-man) article fails to make clear a rather important distinction. The reduced residence requirements are not applicable to all ARC holders. You either have to have a Foreign Special Professional work permit, or a Gold Card, or have studied a masters/PhD degree in Taiwan.
I am still not clear on what constitutes a “foreign special professional”. Someone up top posted something re:teachers that was “buxiban teachers with special skills”, but what the heck does that even mean? Former philharmonic performer teaching their instrument? An English teacher with a Phd? How does one get a “foreign special professional” work permit/what jobs would that require?