More than 200 people with high-level expertise in the digital industry last year secured the Employment Gold Card, with about 60% working in software development jobs according to data from the Taiwanese National Development Council and Administration for Digital Industries.
Launched in 2018, the card combines the functions of a resident visa, work permit, Alien Resident Certificate and re-entry permit, and allows foreign professionals to leave and re-enter Taiwan multiple times over one to three years.
Foreigners are eligible to apply for gold cards if they have expertise in science, technology, economy, education, culture, arts, sports, finance, law, architecture, national defence or digital industries.
A sample of an Employment Gold Card, a combined resident visa and open work permit valid for three years, is pictured in an undated photograph.
The qualifications of foreign professionals would be assessed by government officials regulating these industries, and applicants are not required to receive job offers to apply for gold cards.
Those who do not have expertise in the listed categories might still be qualified for gold cards as special cases, depending on the National Development Council’s consultation with government officials.
Foreign professionals with specialized knowledge and skills in digital industries were not qualified for employment gold cards until the middle of last year.
Applicants must meet one of the following requirements including having at least eight years of relevant professional experience in digital economy-related industries and having held positions in a digital economy-related industry in Taiwan or other countries with a most recent monthly salary of at least NT$160,000, or having graduated with a doctorate from one of the top 500 universities listed in the most recent QS World University Rankings, Times Higher Education World University Rankings or US News and World Report Rankings.
Meanwhile, those with expertise in the products or services required in the digital economy-related industries can also apply if they have obtained a doctoral degree in related fields at a domestic or foreign university, and if they received domestic or foreign awards recognised by the Ministry of Digital Affairs, or had more than four years of work experience in related fields.
As of December last year, 216 foreigners secured employment gold cards because of high-level expertise in the digital industry, which accounted for 2.4% of the gold cards issued since 2018.
The Administration for Digital Ministries of the Ministry of Digital Affairs oversees reviewing gold card applicants working in the digital industry.
As of January, the administration had received 420 applications, 298 of which met the requirement for a gold card, administration data showed.
The expertise of the applicants varies from software development, computer programming, e-commerce and video gaming to cybersecurity, the administration said, adding that about 60% of applicants are working in software development-related fields.
Applicants who secured gold cards are mainly developers of software, digital content and video games, the administration added.
70% of the applicants from the digital industries are 39 years of age or younger, the administration said.
Aside from Employment Gold Cards, the administration is offering subsidies on flight tickets as incentives to attract talent in the digital economy field, it said, adding that the application deadline for subsidies is the end of October. – CNA
