Taiwan: Digital Nomad Visa Introduced

• Eligibility. Applicants for Taiwan’s Digital Nomad Visa must be a visa-exempt national seeking to work for a company outside Taiwan, and must meet one of the below requirements:
  • The applicant can prove they have previously been issued a digital nomad visa by another country;
  • The applicant is over 30 years old and has had an annual income of at least USD 40,000 in one of the last two years; or
  • The applicant is between 20 and 30 years old and has had an annual income of at least USD 20,000 in one of the last two years.
• Validity. The visa allows a three-month stay, with extensions possible, up to a maximum stay of six months.
• Application. Similar to a general visa application, the applicant must complete the visa application online and then submit a printed copy to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office. Processing typically takes five to eight business days.
• Dependents. Applicants are not allowed to sponsor dependents under the Digital Nomad Visa program.
• Local work. Digital Nomad Visa holders cannot work locally in Taiwan, and those who intend to work for a Taiwanese company while in Taiwan must apply for the relevant work permit with the Ministry of Labor.

This new category provides an immigration pathway for remote workers, which was previously not available.

• Continuing trend. Although digital nomad visas and permits are not being introduced as rapidly as when the trend first started, we still see such tailored digital nomad statuses being introduced over the past months, with more in the pipeline.

• Remote work visa warning. In countries where remote work is unregulated, workers and employers may unknowingly put themselves at risk of noncompliance with many aspects of the law, exposing them to possible fines or other penalties, depending on the country. Importantly, noncompliance with regulations could result in employers losing their rights to hire foreign labor. Additionally, this type of work arrangement may have employment or tax law impacts. It will become increasingly important as such policies are developed (and in many countries where remote work is unregulated) for employers to analyze strategies and assess risks associated with implementing and/or continuing remote work policies with a trusted immigration partner.

Remote work and non-traditional non-sponsored statuses remain of high interest to corporate and public stakeholders globally as talent shortages affect employers worldwide. Fragomen will report on related developments.