Illegal Fee Charging of Taiwan Brokers Sparked Anger From Migrant Workers

Migrant workers in Taiwan have staged a protest regarding the illegal charging of recruitment fees to have a new contract demanding the Ministry of Labor (MOL) to clamp down brokers.

One migrant protester from Indonesia said that a certain broker is asking for a NT$75,000 (Php127,000) to get a new job to avoid being sent back to its mother country. The migrant worker able to pay what the broker ask but instead received an illegal job. The complainant go to the local authority but not accepted since it has lack of evidence.

The other protester from Vietnam complains about their high placement fee ranging from NT120,000 – NT210,000 (Php200,000 – Php350,000) on a three year contract.

It is very common on Taiwan that brokers charge different fees, the 2016 amendment of Employment Service Act is that migrant workers are relived to any placement fees once renewing a contract. Tha amendment act also abolished the rule that you have to leave Taiwan after a three year contract.

The gloomy part for migrant workers is that they can only rely on brokers in Taiwan to do the job finding or job searching as it is dominated mainly by Taiwan brokers.