Actually that is the problem: they are pressing for shorter quarantine based on vaccines, tests, whatever. Hence the current predicament.
the problem is the virus seems to defy any attempt at testing or quarantine. Guys turned up positive after the 14 day quarantine, after the negative test. Almost like the virus hid itself in the meantime.
almost like the test is bullshit
To be clear: Taiwan’s authorities are NOT relying on notoriously unreliable rapid antigen tests; they are relying on (often multiple) PCR tests to find and isolate positive cases.
But yes there did seem to be some (ahem) irregularities in the tests provided by brokers who were trying to get Indonesian migrant workers into Taiwan. That channel is now closed, except it seems for fishers, who themselves are facing a whole host of problems.
Guy
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Just thought I would update, I have successfully entered Taiwan with a (YMS) working holiday visa! Airport process was smooth and I was surprised to see the plane full, everyone coming before the new restrictions on the 15th I guess
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Welcome back!
Did you have your visa issued before January 1?
Guy
Thanks! yeah, my visa was issued 2 months ago.
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So then consistent with what we’ve heard: that the Taiwan authorities will honor visas that were issued before the January 1 stop date.
Glad you made it!
Guy
What I don’t understand is this: How could Taiwan haven been so close to being CODI-19 free and have its cases jump to a total of 842? That number was lower by approximately 50% last June, and Taiwan was 2 cases away from being COVID-19. Then all of a sudden by July 2020 the numbers started going up because Taiwan started letting in Filipinos who had COVID-19, at the time when The Philippines had the highest number of cases in East Asia.
And Guess what? We need to brace ourselves for Chinese New Year because I heard that 4000 overseas Taiwanese citizens will be coming here for Chinese New Year, and I as a foreigner can’t go anywhere because I have no time for a 14-day quarantine. If all these Taiwanese citizens who live and work overseas are going to come here for Chinese New Year, they are going to have to comply with the quarantine rules. And if Taiwan requires for them to also be tested before boarding a plane to get back here they will have to comply with that too.
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Taiwan is bringin in sick people , maybe that should end . Wait until till there is a real outbreak here im shocked it hasnt happened… i think we are overdue
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Make sure you have enough food at home, so you can stay in for CNY and a few weeks after to observe the situation. Even if the virus comes in, you will be safe at home.
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With the exception of the disgraced cargo pilot’s girlfriend, and the Taoyuan doctor and his girlfriend, every one of those cases you mentioned has been imported. We’ve had, officially speaking, exactly three cases of local transmission since April 2020.
So why would Taiwan tolerate importing cases of COVID-19? Answer: some are ROC citizens fleeing their time abroad as residents, students, or business people. And many if not most of them are workers coming to Taiwan from places such as the Philippines or Indonesia where the virus has spread rapidly. They show up as asymptomatic and are tested and found to be positive.
In short: Taiwan’s economic structure relies on these workers, and the state is willing (up to a certain degree) to tolerate imported cases to keep this economic structure in place.
Guy
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So rich people wanting cheap workers is causing the imported cases?
Does taiwan economy rely on this?
I think imported cases are spread more evenly to a wide group of people, but does seem to be more non tw people, if im wrong i say ok ,correct me.
I think the tw economy can make it thru a stricter lock down,As minus tourist we are still ok here.
Yes, very much so. Taiwan is rich, in part due it’s exploitation of foreign migrant workers in factories.
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Seems people only become rich by stepping on someone’s toes.
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You may recall there was a time when the toy company Mattel used to set up
their factories here and hired local Taiwanese to make these toys. Not anymore.
I plan to be in the far south of Taiwan for my vacation time but come back to my apartment in the early part of the Chinese New Year holidays.
Another thing that came to my mind is this: They cannot bring in any foreign teachers from overseas to work here. I make this conclusion because right now, if foreign teachers need work permits to teach here, the work permits have to be produced by the Ministry of Education, not the Ministry of Labor. If a teacher is overseas in Canada, or the UK, and they get their work permits, the work permits for these new teachers are only sent to them electronically. The Taiwan Trade offices overseas do NOT accept photocopies, not electronic copies of work permits to grant resident resident visas to foreigners. Because of that, foreigners have to come to Taiwan on 90-day tourist visas and get the paperwork done here. That’s what I went through in 2019. But now, the reality is different. How the heck are they going to get new foreign teachers into Taiwan right now, when the MOE only makes the work permits and sends electronic copies to potential teachers overseas?
with copies of their contracts and work permits, they can get special permits to enter.
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