Dear Editor,
Recently I went to the public library in Colombo and read the January 2000 issue of Sinorama. There was an article about migrant workers in Taiwan. It was very interesting for me bcause I've long been looking for an opportunity to work overseas.
Working in Taiwan would be nice, because I could do some good for your country and earn some money for myself. In Sri Lanka I work in a restaurant, and I'm having a difficult time trying to plan for the future. I don't own my own house, and because of that I can't get married to the girl I love. I need to find a good-paying job, so please help me to reach your country. You mention in your article that many local citizens in Taiwan avoid "dirty, dangerous, and demanding" work, but I don't mind such jobs because I'm young, strong, and hard working. I can work night shifts if necessary. Please help me to contact the proper authorities.
I know you have a lot of other things to do that are more important than this, but you are the only one I can contact about this matter. I would be extremely grateful for your help, and I give you my solemn word that I will never cause anyone any trouble in your country. Thank you very much.
Editor's response:
Thank you very much for your interest in coming to the Republic of China. We have an old saying in Chinese: "All men are brothers wherever they may be." We welcome friends from other countries to come to Taiwan and strive together with us for a better future. I talked about your letter with the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA), which is in charge of administering the admission of foreign laborers to the ROC. According to Wu Chun-ming, director of the Foreign Affairs Division of the CLA's Employment and Vocational Training Administration, Taiwan only accepts manual laborers from five countries: Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Because Sri Lanka doesn't maintain an office in Taiwan for handling official government matters, there is no official conduit for us to discuss the dispatch of laborers to Taiwan.
Mr. Wu informed me that the ROC government intends to reduce the number of foreign laborers allowed into Taiwan while increasing the number of countries from which we accept them so that employers can have a greater range of hiring choices. Some people in Taiwan have suggested recently that the government should consider accepting laborers from Fiji, Nicaragua, and North Korea, but this is still under discussion. Mr. Wu also said, however, that a lot of paperwork is involved when foreign laborers come to Taiwan, and both governments have to show an active interest in getting together to handle these matters.
The restrictions I've described above apply only to manual laborers. A foreigner with a university degree and at least two years of work experience can be admitted to Taiwan as a technical specialist if an employer in Taiwan applies to sponsor his or her visa.
Please accept my apologies for being of such limited assistance. I wish you the best of luck in all your endeavors.
