NI Bureau
New Delhi:
Taiwan is set to introduce an initial batch of 1,000 Indian workers in the summer of 2024 under an Labour agreement with India, hoping to address manpower shortages across several key industries.
Sources in Taiwan have indicated that preference will be given to workers from the northeastern part of the Indian subcontinent, given the cultural similarities and easier integration. Talks are in advanced stages with northeastern states like Assam, Mizoram, and Nagaland and recruitment is expected to take place in the consecutive months. Workers who can communicate in English will be given priority, and the Indian side combined with Taiwanese companies will hold orientation sessions before departure.
Addressing Labour Shortages in Key Sectors
Under the February 2024 agreement, Taiwan will be deploying Indian blue-collar workers in manufacturing, agriculture, and construction, all industries currently suffering big workforce shortages induced by an ageing population and declining birth rates.
According to the pact:
- India will recruit and train the workers.
- Taiwan will determine the number of workers, employment duration, and assigned industries depending on the success of the initial batch.
Right after signing the treaty, Indian and Taiwanese officials met in Taipei in November 2024 to discuss furthering their roadmap. Wages and employment duration will be on the agenda of a forthcoming virtual meeting slated for February 2025.
Steps Towards Implementation
At the November meeting, both sides agreed to the following major steps:
- 5% direct hiring by local Taiwanese businesses will be allowed.
- A specific hiring window for Indian workers will be established.
- Register workers under India’s eMigrate portal from the Ministry of External Affairs so that their rights and welfare are assured.
Sources stated that should the pilot be successful, Taiwan will consider increasing the number of workers and sectors involved in the programme.
Taiwan is Turning Its Eyes for Talented Workers Outside Southeast Asia
Taiwan has over 700,000 foreign workers mainly from Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. The agreement is the first time Taiwan recruited workers from India, thus increasing the pool of labour in Taiwan outside Southeast Asia.
India will set up a direct hiring portal and consortium along with the Skill Development Ministry and state governments, with the goal of simplifying the process.
India signed several migration and mobility agreements with various countries across the globe, including the GCC countries Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and UAE, plus Jordan, Denmark, Japan, Portugal, Mauritius, and Israel.
This agreement now marks Taiwan as the newest labour partner for India, ever so offering Indian workers jobs in high-demand sectors.
Peksha Nahata
