The Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals goes into motion – Premier Lai issues the first Employment Gold Card to YouTube founder Steve Chen
Date of issue: March 9, 2018
The Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals ("the Foreign Professionals Act"), formulated and promoted by the National Development Council, formally entered into effect on February 8, 2018. To highlight the government's determination and active ability to compete for talent internationally, Premier Lai has issued the first Employment Gold Card to American YouTube video-sharing platform founder Steve Chen, to thank Steve for being willing to return to Taiwan to contribute his technical and business management expertise.
The Employment Gold Card is a measure designed for the privileged treatment of foreign special professionals. A 4-in-1 personal pass card that combines work permit, resident visa, ARC, and re-entry permit, it allows the holder to freely seek and change employment without needing to apply through an employer. Also, among other privileges and conveniences conferred by the card, holders can have their lineal ascendants come to stay in Taiwan for a family visit of up to a year; and for three years after they come to work in Taiwan for the first time, they can enjoy exemption from income tax on half of the part of their salary above NT$3 million. The issuance of the Employment Gold Card should enhance the inducement for foreign professionals to come to Taiwan, and aid in transitioning Taiwan's economy.
Besides co-founding the American YouTube video-sharing platform, Steve Chen also went on to co-found and lead the digital media creation company AVOS Systems. Gaining international renown for the success of his entrepreneurial experience in the U.S., he is recognized as one of the world's top talents in cutting-edge software technology innovation and enterprise management. Premier Lai expressed the hope that issuing the first Employment Gold Card to Steve Chen would have an inspiring effect on others, accelerating Taiwan's attraction of international top-level innovating talent, enabling young aspiring entrepreneurs in Taiwan to connect internationally, and promoting the transition and upgrading of domestic industry.
At his meeting with Steve, Premier Lai remarked that, since he took office as government leader, the government had been actively implementing an array of talent recruitment and retention policies. In addition to revising the Industrial Innovation Act, it had also drawn up and launched the Foreign Professionals Act, with the aim of building a friendlier environment that would heighten the inducement for foreign talent to come to Taiwan. Moreover, to address any problems of coming to work and live in Taiwan faced by Employment Gold Card applicants, Premier Lai said that government agencies would establish one-stop windows to serve and assist the needs of each applicant, and would set up a fully comprehensive service system. He hoped that the best and brightest talent from all over the world would be able to make a second home for themselves in Taiwan, and cause the whole world to see Taiwan as a country that embraced international talent with open arms.
The implementation of the Foreign Professionals Act is an important milestone of the government's talent recruitment work. The NDC will continue to work with the agencies concerned to strengthen the functions of that national-level Contact TAIWAN one-stop talent recruitment website, and establish a fully integrated and globally connected one-stop talent recruitment system, providing customized talent recruitment and consultation services, for the active recruitment of foreign professional talent.

Picture 1: Premier Lai issues the first Employment Gold Card to YouTube founder Steve Chen.

Picture 2: Premier Lai chats with Steve Chen