Is there any indication of when foreigners who possess a work permit will be allowed entry yet?
It seems crazy to me that the government/CECC have approved business travellers who are transient, staying for less than 3 months and who may fly and quarantine several times a year in but have yet to say anything at all about foreign workers who don’t fall into the vague category of “migrant workers”.
As it stands it almost appears that work permit holders are being lumped in with tourists, even a hint of guidance would be appreciated from them at this stage.
"Foreigners non-residents might be allowed to enter Taiwan as early as the second half of this year, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), said yesterday.
Calling it the earliest possible time for a more general opening of the border…"
So that means those without ARC/APRC Cards of course, and of course certain Foreign workers are allowed in at present, likewise some Students. But yes, Tourists (Visa Exempt) can wait.
Seems like he’s making this contingent upon people jumping through another vaccination hoop:
Should the COVID-19 booster shot coverage reach 50 percent and auxiliary measures be put in place by the middle of next month, it is “very possible” that Taiwan reopens its borders further, the center said.
… after telling everyone, a few months back, that he would generously return control to the democratically-elected government once we reached 70% double-vaxed.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs would be involved in deciding whether a distinction would be made between business travelers and tourists, Chen said.
The statement came after the CECC announced that mandatory quarantines for arrivals would be shortened to 10 days from 14 days and business travelers could apply for entry permits that would allow them to enter the nation from next month.
I thought they had been coming out with updates specifically for business travellers over the last week? Why all of sudden do they need to define whether or not they are seperate to tourists, does it mean non of the recent stories about their entry next month are valid?
It means that the MOEA has a say in who is to be allowed entry as they move toward liberalizing entry to Taiwan for noncitizens and nonresidents. Don’t worry, there’s no conflicting messaging about tourist arrivals (every report I’ve seen indicated there’s no chance this will happen any time soon).
It just seems to be odd messaging, the term “foreign non-residents” seems like a very broad term, I am hoping that work-permit holders awaiting entry aren’t being grouped with tourists…
No they are not. But the priority of their entry seems to depend on who pushes for their case. Example: with teachers, unless and until the Ministry of Education got its act together to push for their entry, their cases remained frozen.
I’m thinking the same, I’ve gone as far as contacting U.K. MP’s who are visiting Taiwan Saturday 19th.
However had no reply from any of the 4 I emailed. Bizarre situation.
Work permit is a residential certificate? Exchange to ARC so much the same?
I don’t believe it is a residential permit, just a document to say you’re allowed to work in the country.
I’m in the same boat, I’ve emailed MOFA, BOCA and the MEA about the situation but mostly they just say to wait for CECC guidelines, which so far have focused on business travellers/cheap SEA labour from countries with lower vaccine rates than EU nations and the endless conversation about tourism, which they have stated does not matter to them, yet everyone in between seems to be ignored.
if they allow tourists, just come in with a tourist VISA and take your work permit, that’s probably the easiest way to do it. I came to taiwan on a tourist visa originally and then found a job, got my work permit, and then took that to get my ARC. Either way, I honestly wouldn’t worry about it. Take what comes first. I’m sure work permit folks will be first, but even if tourists are somehow given priority, just become a “tourist”.
This is how Taiwan functions, it’s basically day by day, and things change every week, goal posts are shifting non stop, Half the mayors can’t agree with each other on how much yellow tape to use on playgrounds, and the other half thinks we need to be stuck in perpetual cycle of covid. I mean …We are still wearing masks OUTSIDE. Long story short, nobody knows what is happening, and all speculative, I doubt even the CDC knows much except extremely tentative plans.
My hope is that work permit holders will be let in much sooner than tourists, for myself and others I know in this position life is basically on hold as we can’t commit to anything long term in our home countries. I am lucky that my employer is understanding of the situation and aware that I will leave as soon as I can but I can tell they are getting frustrated not knowing what to expect week on week.
business travelers AKA the elites children, who had to spend 14-days in isolation in the best hotels with the best service. poor kids. Saying if this goes well, they may even allow foreign tour groups… “open borders on a reciprocal basis” you mean the fact that everybody has to quarantine for 14-days in taiwan? I am no longer a fan of Chen Clock, but I have to be careful what I say, or I’ll get locked up, so my opinion is reserved.
So underneath the emojis and the silliness about “Chen Clock”, you’re saying … don’t let anyone in? Or are you saying let everyone in? Instead of this gradual stuff, just screw it and open the borders to anyone?
I just personally believe this “business” traveler thing is immense bullshit, because who the hell needs to ENTER the damn country to do business? you have a plethora different ways to do business in the time of the pandemic. I have a strong feeling this is about appeasing those rich elites who can just put their renegade kid under “business” traveler. The rules should be inclusive to EVERYBODY, not just one aspect of society. I actually do know people who legit travel to China for business, but if you are going to do it for business, do it for everybody. Stop pussy footing.
Ah. So since you and I can get into the country, everyone should be able to get into the country? Or since my parents can’t get into the country, no one should be able to get in? Or is this just the full borderless world argument, where any random person should be allowed to fly to Taiwan and work and stay forever, because Taiwanese people (and permanent residents) can fly to Taiwan and work and stay forever? Which rules should apply to which everybody?
I’m not sure how big a set of people there are in Taiwan whose “renegade kids” need to come in as business travellers, rather than just on their Taiwanese passports.
I dunno, people want Taiwan to open up, and Taiwan is making slow moves to open up - after Chinese New Year, which has seemed right to me since a few months ago - and letting business travelers in early seems a sensible way to go. Easing up on restrictions - they’re doing it, despite significant sentiments that don’t want to open up. And they’re doing it carefully, despite noisy outbursts online that care should be cast aside. Do I suspect they’ll open too slowly for my tastes? Yeah, sure, but they are heading in that direction. They’re threading a thin needle and so far I think they’ve done a pretty good job of that.
There was no such Visa prior to the doors being shut back in March 2020.
Depending on the Country that issued the Passport, one could enter without any Visa (Visa-Free) as long as you held an onward ticket, for a maximum of up to 90 days, at which time you had to leave Taiwan (you could return the same day !!). But that has all ceased and will probably be the last category to be re-opened. That covered things like Tourists, Visiting Friends and Relatives, Business Trips, etc, but you were not permitted to work, and not eligible for NHI.
Quite a few (myself included - but luckily I changed mine to a Resident Visa which got me an ARC just before the doors were locked) used this to stay in Taiwan and come and go every 3 months, and one now dormant poster here was caught on the wrong side when the doors were closed too - it took him some months (and funds for tickets and accomodation) to get himself a Visa that would let him back in.
Those who were not from an eligible country needed to obtain a Visa - a common one was a Visitor Visa, and in most (but not all) cases that Visa could be replaced by something more substantial after entry, such as if you had found a job that supplied a work permit. Visitor Visa’s are heavily restricted too, but not impossible - I think its named “Special Visa” now and is open to interpretation by those who deal with the application.
Getting into Taiwan is one thing of course, there is also the “little matter” of Quarantine as soon as one arrives.
Again, how many people living in cities like Taipei and who have families will have “suitable home facilities?” I’ve been looking on 591 and having multiple bathrooms and bedrooms is really not the reality.
