Have you heard of the Taiwan Employment Gold Card? Launched in 2018, it is part of a government initiative that seeks to attract highly-skilled foreign talents and professionals to the country.
The Gold Card is a 4-in-card with multiple functions; it serves as a work permit, resident visa, Alien Resident Certificate (ARC), and re-entry permit… rolled into one. Among other things, it enables the holder to enter Taiwan multiple times over one to three years.
All You Need to Know About the Taiwan Employment Gold Card
In October 2017, Taiwan implemented the “Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professional Talent,” a legislation that aims to attract highly-skilled professionals to the country. Consequently, the Taiwan Employment Gold Card was launched in the following year, with features that are attractive, indeed!
Features of the Gold Card
As cited earlier, the Gold Card has several functions, as follows:
- Work Permit. The card allows to holders to seek and take up employment freely at any time, including part-time jobs. They can also change jobs freely.
- Resident Visa. The card serves as a long-term visa that allows holders to stay in the country for over 180 days.
- Alien Resident Certificate (ARC). The card also functions as a physical ID card, which proves that you are a legal resident of Taiwan.
- Re-entry Permit. Finally, the card allows unlimited entry to and exit from Taiwan, over a one- to three-year period.
Benefits of the Gold Card
What are the benefits of having a Gold Card? First of all, the fact that it functions as an open work permit is already a huge plus, since you can seek and obtain employment freely. Likewise, you can also start your own business in the country!
Secondly, if you’re a first-time worker in Taiwan and you meet certain conditions, you may be eligible for a 50-percent tax exemption on your annual salary income, provided that it exceeds TWD 3 million during the first five years!
Third, after three years, you are eligible to apply for permanent residency. And if you obtain a Doctorate Degree in Taiwan, this will be counted as one of the three required years! (NOTE: This does not apply to residents of Hong Kong and Macau).
Finally, if you are a Gold Card holder who: (a) has been employed to engage in professional work; or (b) is an employer or self-employed business owner in Taiwan — you may directly join the National Health Insurance (NHI) system without having to wait for six months! This applies to your dependent relatives, too!
Eligible Industries
Of course, the Taiwan Employment Gold Card is offered to select individuals only. In particular, people from the following industries may be eligible to apply: Science and Technology, Economy, Education, Culture and Arts, Sports, Finance, Law, Architecture, National Defense, and the Digital field. Aside from these, special cases may also be considered by the Taiwanese government.
Qualifications
The qualifications for the Gold Card vary based on the person’s field or industry. Below is a list of criteria for each eligible industry, as stated in the Taiwan Gold Card official website:
Science and Technology
- Has distinguished talents or skills in Research and Development (R&D), design, or innovation;
- Holds international awards or national academy membership; OR
- Has special knowledge or expertise in cutting-edge fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), nanotechnology, opto-electronics, software applications, and biotechnology.
Economy
- Has held a high-level operations or marketing position in a multinational corporation, R&D center, or operations headquarters;
- Possesses important knowledge and skills necessary for key industry products or services models; OR
- Has held a specialized or cross-disciplinary position in the information and communication, opto-electronics, semi-conductor, and cultural/creative sectors.
Education
- Holds a Doctorate Degree from one of the top 500 universities in the world;
- Has taught or conducted research at one of the top 500 universities in the world for at least three years;
- Has received a grant or award from the Yushan Fellow Program; OR
- Has taught at a public or private school, college, or university for at least five years.
Culture and Arts
- Has won international awards or achieved outstanding distinction in the field(s) of crafts, cultural administration, film/television, performing arts, pop music, publishing, and/or visual arts.
Sports
- Has placed in the top 6 of an international sports competition;
- Has served as a national team coach for an international sports competition;
- Has served as a referee for an international sports competition; OR
- Has the potential to contribute to the sports industry of Taiwan.
Finance
- Has held a senior executive position or specialist position in a financial institution;
- Has been recommended by a relevant association; OR
- Possesses financial expertise in an industry promoted by the government (e.g. e-commerce or fin-tech).
Law
- Has obtained a Taiwanese or foreign attorney license, with a monthly salary of at least TWD 160,000;
- Has held a position as a professor, associate professor, or assistance professor at a foreign university;
- Has held a law-related executive position in a law firm or corporation; OR
- Has been recommended by the Taiwan Bar Association.
Architecture
- Has obtained a Taiwanese or foreign architect license, with a monthly salary of at least TWD 160,000; OR
- Has at least five years experience as a designer or construction supervisor in a foreign architecture firm.
National Defense
- Has five years experience in national defense related fields.
Digital Field
- A qualified worker in the field(s) of e-commerce, gaming software, IT services, or software development.
Requirements
To apply for a Taiwan Employment Gold Card, you need to prepare these documents:
- Colored copy of passport with at least six months validity remaining;
- 2 x 2 passport/identification photo taken within the past six months;
- Previous Taiwanese visa and residence permit (if applicable); and
- Supporting documents based on the requirements for the industry that you’re eligible for.
Application Process
Getting a Gold Card involves several main stages: online application, qualification review, identity check, and finally… card pick-up! An important reminder: You can only apply under one field or eligible industry (even if you may be qualified for multiple industries).
Online Application
The first step involves filing an online application through the Taiwan Gold Card official website. Here, you need to enter your personal information, upload the necessary documents, and pay the application fee. You will receive an e-mail confirmation message upon submitting your application.
Qualification Review
During this stage, your application is checked by the National Immigration Agency, Ministry of Labor, and other relevant authorities. You may be asked to submit additional documents or resubmit your application. If your application is disapproved or rejected, you will also be informed at this stage.
Identity Check
At this stage, your passport is inspected by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), while a secondary review is made by the National Immigration Agency.
Card Pick-up
Once your application has been approved, your card will be released and ready for pick up! Before getting your Gold Card at the selected National Immigration Service Station, be sure to bring your original passport, application receipt, and other relevant documents (e.g. Resident Authorization Certificate for overseas applicants).
NOTE: After submitting your documents, it can take 30 business days to process your application. But if you need to submit additional documents, the process can take 50 to 60 days.
As for the validity of your Gold Card, it depends on whether you applied for a one-, two, or three-year validity. If you want to apply for an extension of your Card, you may do so within four months before it expires — provided that you still meet the qualifications.
Contact Information: Taiwan Employment Gold Card Office
If you have any questions or concerns about the Gold Card, you can get in touch with the Taiwan Employment Gold Card Office through the following contact details:
Telephone: +886 2-7733-7660
Email: help@taiwangoldcard.tw
Website: https://goldcard.nat.gov.tw/en/
If you are a highly skilled professional in an eligible industry (i.e. Science and Technology, Education, Law, Sports, etc.), consider applying for the Taiwan Employment Gold Card! It comes with benefits and features that are not available in most other visa types!
Earlier, we mentioned that the Gold Card also functions as an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC). Check out this article to know more about it and why the ARC is a must-have for OFWs!