Newsletter issue | May 27, 2026

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Table of Contents

Latetst News & Events

The New Labor Pension System for Foreign Professionals

Focus Taiwan

For the Class of 2025: How to Stand Out to Taiwan's Employers

Voice from Taiwan

The Bridge Builder: How AJ Found His Path in Taiwan

Hot Jobs

Join Contact TAIWAN for Exclusive Perks

Latest News & Events

The New Labor Pension System for Foreign Professionals

Under the recent amendment to the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals, foreign talent can now participate in Taiwan's New Labor Pension System without needing a permanent residency card. Effective January 1, 2026, all newly hired foreign professionals automatically enrolled in this system, which mandates a 6% employer-funded retirement contribution. For individuals who were already employed before this date and continue to work for the same company, the law provides a choice between the New and Old pension systems. However, to remain under the Old Labor Pension System, a written declaration must be submitted to the employer by June 30, 2026—a critical deadline to keep in mind, as this choice is completely irrevocable.

Beyond pension reforms, qualified foreign professionals, specialist professionals, and senior professionals with APRC are now fully integrated into Taiwan's social safety net with expanded access to Employment Insurance benefits. These eligible benefits include Unemployment Benefits, the Early Reemployment Incentives, the Vocational Training Living Allowances, the Parental Unpaid Leave Allowances, and National Health Insurance Premium Subsidies for Unemployed Insured Persons and Their Dependents. This allows foreign talent to claim the same vital baseline allowances as domestic workers during career transitions or family planning.

Source:

• Ministry of Labor. https://www.mol.gov.tw/media/gjtlzwns/act-for-the-recruitment-and-employment-of-foreign-professionals-new-labor-pension-system.pdf?mediaDL=true
• Taiwan News. https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6340700
• Ministry of Labor: https://reurl.cc/X2r0q0

Focus Taiwan

For the Class of 2025: How to Stand Out to Taiwan's Employers

If you are launching your job search in Taiwan this summer, understanding the qualities local employers value most is essential. 

In 2025, when 104 Job Bank surveyed 385 HR professionals in Taiwan what they value most in international talent, the top qualities were all soft skills. Sharing the number-one spots were "work attitude and sense of responsibility" and "teamwork and communication" (both 98.5%), followed closely by "willingness to learn and adaptability" (98.2%), and then "emotional management" alongside "professional ethics" (both 97.1%). Interestingly, "professional knowledge and skills" (84.7%) ranked a little lower. So don't worry if your résumé isn't packed with technical credentials yet — employers assume skills can be taught; character and a good attitude are much harder to coach. Yes, the Language matters. Being able to communicate in Chinese (valued by 92.4% of employers) is the basic threshold for working with local teams and customers. 

But here's the part worth holding onto, the number one reason companies choose to hire international students is your "foreign language advantage" (65.9%). Your mother tongue and cross-cultural background are not liabilities; they are your most irreplaceable assets.

In recent years, Taiwan's demand for international talent has reached across so many fields — from consumer and lifestyle services and business management to manufacturing, engineering, and ICT. Best of all, more than 70% of companies say they have no preference for any specific university when hiring international talent.

Contact TAIWAN is by your side! Let’s get you ready with this ultimate job-hunting checklist:

• Show your soft skills — show real moments of internships, projects, or part-time jobs to bring your responsibility, teamwork, and curiosity to life.
• Chinese and your native language — can you hold a conversation in Chinese, or earn a proficiency certificate (TOCFL)? Don't forget to highlight your mother tongue and cross-cultural perspective.
• Internships open doors — over 40% of companies find their people through internships and industry–academia programs, so this is one of the best ways to get on an employer's radar early.
• Use the points-based system and share your plans — build up the scoring items beyond "work experience," and in interviews, feel free to talk about your hopes to grow your career here in Taiwan (or to bring your experience home someday). Employers really do care where you're headed.

Last, we covered the update for the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals in our last issue. If you will graduate shortly, you may extend your stay to work freely without a work permit. This 2-year post-graduation extension allows you to explore job opportunities and build your career in Taiwan freely. With your ARC extension, you can start working legally and immediately with an offer either part-time or full-time with no restrictions on industries, employer’s requirements or job categories. So, forget not, apply for extension within 30 days before your current residence permit expires.

Sources：

• "2025 Survey on Enterprises' Experience and Willingness to Hire Overseas Compatriot Students". 104 Job Bank.
• Quick guide to extending your residence permit. Talent Taiwan. p. 4. https://storage.talent.nat.gov.tw/media/articles/files/English_Students_Summary.pdf

Voice from Taiwan

The Bridge Builder: How AJ Found His Path in Taiwan

Taiwan is a critical global supply chain hub, offering high-tech infrastructure and strategic access to Southeast Asian markets. For Thai professional Sorasak Busabok (AJ), the island evolved from an academic destination into a base for a high-impact career. And by reframing his international background as a strategic asset, AJ has carved a distinct path within Taiwan’s competitive corporate landscape.

Professional Roots in Taiwan

Since arriving in 2018, AJ has built a strong foundation at CTBC and Gamania, focusing on regional consumer insights and business development. After earning an NTU MBA and completing the ASUS Management Associate (MA) program through NTU OIA, he joined Inventec. He currently serves as a Management Associate and NPI Project Manager, driving new product integration.

Navigating the Talent Ecosystem

In Taiwan’s job market, international graduates often struggle with traditional local channels. AJ bypassed the standard hunt to focus on specialized markets designed to integrate global expertise into key industries. By proactively leveraging resources like Contact TAIWAN and, the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC), he transformed his status as a foreign professional into a definitive competitive advantage, offering the bridge-building value that many local firms seek.

Building a Sustainable Future in Taiwan

AJ attributes his success to the convergence of personal drive and Taiwan’s robust support systems, including its world-class healthcare and accessible professional networks. He advises the next generation of talent that while Mandarin proficiency is a vital career engine, the true key is securing a specialized niche that provides unique value. By aligning his multicultural identity with the global growth objectives of local enterprises, AJ has become an essential link in Taiwan’s international landscape.

Hot Jobs

You can check out more job positions that’s suitable for you. Explore suitable opportunities and build your career in Taiwan.

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