In a major policy shift, Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor (MOL) announced that starting April 1, 2026, employers will be required to make pension contributions for blue-collar migrant workers who have worked for the same employer for 10 years or more.
The new directive marks a significant step toward equal labor treatment, as migrant workers were previously excluded from employer-funded pensions. Under the change, eligible workers will be covered under Taiwan’s old labor pension system, with employers contributing between 2% and 15% of monthly wages into pension reserve funds.
For decades, blue-collar migrants — mostly from the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam — were treated as “supplementary labor” because of Taiwan’s strict employment duration limits, typically capped at six years. However, with new retention programs allowing longer stays and intermediate-skilled worker status, more migrants are reaching or surpassing the 10-year mark.
“This reform ensures that workers who have served Taiwan for many years are not left without retirement support,” the MOL said in a statement, adding that employers must now include long-term migrant employees in their pension reserve calculations.
Despite the positive development, labor groups note that challenges remain. Under Taiwan’s Labor Insurance Act, a worker must accumulate 15 years of insured service to qualify for full pension benefits — a target many migrant workers still struggle to meet under current residency limits.
Advocates also stress that while the new rule strengthens long-term security, it doesn’t automatically guarantee full pension access. Issues such as job mobility restrictions, low wages, and limited recognition of multi-employer service years continue to hinder equitable treatment.
According to the Ministry of Labor, more than 7,000 companies employ long-term foreign blue-collar workers, and many are yet to establish proper pension reserve accounts in compliance with the upcoming change.
Labor organizations have welcomed the reform as a step forward but are calling for broader inclusion in Taiwan’s social protection systems. “A pension should not depend solely on staying with one employer,” said a migrant rights advocate. “Workers who help build Taiwan’s industries deserve fair and portable retirement benefits.”
The new policy is expected to benefit thousands of long-serving migrant workers in Taiwan, many of whom have spent a decade or more contributing to the island’s economic growth.
