Taiwan is planning to expand the number of migrant workers in its agriculture sector as part of a broader effort to address a significant labor shortage. The Ministry of Agriculture announced plans to add 20,000 migrant workers in phases, helping farms maintain productivity amid a growing workforce gap.
Addressing a 60,000-Worker Shortage
According to the agriculture ministry, Taiwan’s farming industry currently faces a shortage of around 60,000 workers. To help ease the problem, the government has been gradually increasing the number of migrant workers allowed in the sector.
Recent figures show steady growth.l:
2023 – About 12,000 migrant workers were employed in agriculture
2024 – An additional 8,000 workers were added
Officials say the next step is to continue expanding the workforce in stages.
Initial Plan: 7,000 Additional Workers
During a recent meeting organized by the Ministry of Labor, officials reviewed the feasibility of increasing migrant worker quotas. Su Yu-kuo from the ministry’s migrant worker management division said the government agreed to initially bring in 7,000 additional workers.
However, he stressed that further increases will depend on improvements in runaway worker cases, which remain a major concern in the sector.
Officials said that the runaway rate must drop below 8% before another 7,000 migrant workers will be approved. To help reduce runaway cases, the Ministry of Agriculture has introduced several measures aimed at improving working conditions and oversight.
What Agricultural Migrant Workers Do
Migrant workers in Taiwan’s agricultural sector typically perform essential farm tasks such as crop planting, harvesting, livestock feeding, and general farm maintenance.
The ministry also announced that farms with more than 150 beehives or over one hectare of farmland will be eligible to apply for migrant workers under the expanded program.
Taiwan’s plan to gradually increase migrant workers reflects the country’s effort to balance labor shortages, worker protections, and immigration management. If successful, the policy could provide much-needed support for farms while ensuring better oversight and working conditions for migrant workers.
As the program rolls out in phases, the government will continue monitoring runaway worker rates and industry needs before approving additional workforce expansions.
