Why Taiwan Permanent Residency Policy is a Game-Changer for Global IT Talents

[Taiwan Permanent Residency] 台灣新政開放高薪外籍人才申請永居，背後意義與全球人才競爭

• 前半段為文章的英文版本 (The first half is the English version)
• 後半段為中文版本 (The second half is the Mandarin version)

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To attract top international talent, Taiwan’s Executive Yuan passed an amendment to the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals on May 29, 2025. This revision stipulates that foreign professionals earning an annual salary of at least TWD$6 million can apply for Taiwan permanent residency (PR) after residing in Taiwan for one year. This policy marks another step forward in Taiwan’s competitiveness in the global talent market and demonstrates the government’s active response to the high demand for skilled professionals in the high-tech sector.

In my own experience navigating the international tech talent landscape, I’ve seen these dynamics firsthand. While serving as Director of Engineering at Glints, I led a team of colleagues from over 12 different countries. During our recruitment of engineers, designers, and team leaders, many international professionals would proactively ask about relocation opportunities. For Asian companies, the most common question was whether relocation to Singapore was possible. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Taiwan was also frequently mentioned as an attractive relocation option, which made me realize that Taiwan’s appeal to international IT talent is becoming increasingly visible.

Why is Taiwan emerging as a destination of choice for global talent? I believe there are several key reasons:

🔹 Opportunities and career potential in high-tech industries
Taiwan holds a world-leading position in semiconductor manufacturing, artificial intelligence, IC design, and software development. For international talent, it’s not just about job opportunities—it’s about having a career platform that allows them to make an impact on a world-class industrial stage.

🔹 Affordable cost of living, convenient transportation, and a high quality of life
Compared to other Asian cities like Singapore and Hong Kong, Taiwan offers a more affordable cost of living, stable prices, and convenient transportation. For many global professionals, this environment allows for a better balance between work and life.

🔹 A world-class national health insurance system
Taiwan’s National Health Insurance (NHI) system is widely recognized as one of the best in the world. Its single-payer system ensures high resource efficiency and reasonable costs, giving international professionals an additional layer of security and peace of mind when living and working in Taiwan.

🔹 Social safety and cultural inclusiveness
Taiwan is known for its social stability and low crime rates. The friendly cultural environment and welcoming attitude toward foreigners make it easier for international professionals to integrate into local life.

I’ve always believed that talent is the foundation of a nation’s development. This is especially true for high-tech industries, where international professionals’ “brains” are as precious as gold mines. This is why, beyond initiatives like the Employment Gold Card, Taiwan has increasingly adopted a comprehensive approach to attracting global talent—spanning visas, employment conditions, and living support.

Today, Taiwan is stepping onto the global stage of talent competition with a more open attitude, more complete policy frameworks, and a higher quality of life—welcoming these brilliant minds from all over the world. From the recent policy revision allowing foreign professionals earning TWD$6 million or more to apply for Taiwan permanent residency after just one year, to my own personal experience, it’s clear that Taiwan is taking concrete action to extend a sincere invitation to international talent.

🔗 Further Reading

• Taipei Times:
  Draft foreign work visa rules advanced
  This article discusses the proposed amendments allowing foreign professionals earning over NT$6 million annually to apply for permanent residency after one year of residence in Taiwan.
• Focus Taiwan (CNA):
  Taiwan to further ease regulations in bid to attract foreign talent
  An overview of Taiwan’s efforts to relax regulations to attract more foreign professionals, including changes to residency requirements.
• National Development Council – Foreign Talent Act Portal:
  Permanent Residence for Foreign Professionals and Family Members
  Official guidelines detailing the criteria and application process for foreign professionals and their families seeking permanent residency in Taiwan.
• White’s Blog
  If you’re interested in learning more about Taiwan’s approach to attracting global talent, you may also want to check out my related blog post on Taiwan’s Employment Gold Card:
  👉 Taiwan’s Employment Gold Card: A Gateway for Global Talent

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為了吸引國際高端人才，行政院於2025年5月29日通過《外國專業人才延攬及僱用法》修正草案，明定年薪新台幣600萬元以上的外國特定專業人才，在台居留滿一年即可申請永久居留（永居）。這項修法讓台灣在國際人才市場上的競爭力再度升級，也顯示出台灣積極回應高科技產業對專業人才的龐大需求。

我自己在國際科技人才流動上，也有一些深刻的經驗和觀察。曾在 Glints 擔任 Director of Engineering，帶領的團隊夥伴來自超過 12 個國家。每當我們在招募工程師、設計師或團隊主管時，許多國際人才都會主動詢問是否有 Relocation 的機會。對亞洲公司而言，最常被問到的就是能否 Relocate 到新加坡；但出乎意料的是，台灣也是被經常提及並受到肯定的Relocation選項。這讓我意識到，台灣在國際 IT 人才圈中的吸引力已經逐漸被看見。

為什麼台灣會成為國際人才考慮落腳的選項之一？我認為關鍵在於以下幾點：

🔹 高科技產業的工作機會與發展潛力
台灣在半導體、人工智慧、IC 設計及軟體研發等領域具有全球領先地位。國際人才看中的，不只是工作機會，更是能在世界級產業鏈中發揮影響力的職涯舞台。

🔹 低生活成本、交通便利與良好生活品質
與新加坡、香港等亞洲城市相比，台灣的生活成本更親民，物價穩定，交通便利。對許多國際人才來說，這樣的環境能讓工作與生活取得更好的平衡。

🔹 全民健保制度
台灣的全民健康保險制度，更被國際間公認為世界數一數二。單一支付者制度讓醫療資源運用效率高、費用負擔合理，對於國際人才而言，來台灣工作生活多了一層安全感和保障。

🔹 社會安全與文化親和
台灣社會穩定，治安良好。友善的文化氛圍和對外籍人士的包容，讓來台工作的國際人才更容易融入。

我一直深信，人才是國家發展的根本。尤其是對於高科技產業而言，國際專業人才的「大腦」就如同金礦般的寶貴。正因如此，台灣除了推動「就業金卡」等制度，近年來更從簽證、工作條件到生活配套等多面向去吸引國際專業人才來台灣發展與生活。

當前，台灣在全球人才競爭的舞台上，正以更開放的姿態、更完整的政策配套和更優質的生活條件，迎接這些來自世界各地的金頭腦。從這次《外國專業人才延攬及僱用法》修法開放年薪 600 萬元以上專業人才申請永居，到我個人的親身經驗，足見台灣正在以實際行動，向國際人才發出誠摯的邀請。

🔗 延伸閱讀

• 台灣政府通過《外國專業人才延攬及僱用法》修正草案的詳細報導，可參考：
  👉 ETtoday 新聞報導：台灣開放高薪外籍人才申請永居
• 如果您想進一步了解台灣吸引國際人才的多元策略，歡迎閱讀我另一篇關於台灣就業金卡的部落格文章：👉 台灣就業金卡：吸引全球菁英的入門之路