New Alien Residence Certificate (ARC)

Starting next month, July 1, 2007, Alien Residence Certificate (ARC) will be issued in a card with embedded microchip. Taiwan's National Immigration Agency (NIA) will implement moving to new ARC in two phases.

In phase 1, all renewal and new applications of ARC will be issued with the card with embedded microchip. It will be effective from July 1 to Dec 31, 2007. Phase 2 will be implemented the whole year of 2008, all old ARC will be replaced.

So, to those whose ARC's are not going to expire before Dec.31 this year, you're going to have it next year, but you'd have to hang on with that paper based ARC card for at least 6 months. It will be worth the wait, saves you NT$1000 renewal cost just in case you forget your ARC in your pocket and you did the washing unless you break it (the new ARCs will still cost you NT$1000 to renew).

I got some concerns though. The current ARC is made of paper, and the dates of expiration and address are written in there. There are also other personal informations written, but I found that expiration date and address are the 2 most common information asked about your ARC. The expiration date attest to your eligibility of stay (in Taiwan), and the address is replaced when you change address (often, new address is written at the back).

If the new ARC uses embedded microchip, will the address and expiration date still be printed on the ARC? If not, then there has to be a card reader or something, like those used for credit cards. The police should have it (including those police who randomly check ARCs on the roads), government institutions, employers, and even remittance agencies for that matter. It would surely change the way we transact. But I doubt ordinary foreigners will have personal card readers. Then how would we know our ARC is about to expire? We'd also lose the convenience of having a print of our address (in Chinese) everytime. Talk about telling your address to a taxi driver who don't speak English...if you got your ARC, I mean the old ones we have now, just show it to him, and simply sit pretty and relax knowing you're going to get home.

If the new ARC looks simply like a credit card, or the Taiwan Health Card with only your name and some numbers on it, it means we've got to keep some sheets or some equivalent to jut expiration date, and address in Chinese. I figure I could make use of my phone just in case. But maybe it's too early to think of it, anyway we'd need to wait until next week only.

CALL FOR SAMPLE: If you already got the new ARC, please email me a photo (taiwanpinoy@yahoo.com). If you don't mind, please send photo of its 2 sides. Thanks!

Re: maximum working years

Quick update here.

I've been scouring the news of the past few days and I can't seem to find update of the 9 yr maximum working years. However, I was told by some manager who employs Filipino workers in their factory that the law isn't effective yet. It was just approved by the CLA, but haven't been signed yet by "upper" officials of the Taiwan government. I was also told reassuringly that it will sure take effect very soon this coming few months. I'm quite sure the managers I spoke with are as eager as I am about this new law taking effect, so I reckon they surely know and we could trust what they said.

I'll keep you posted.

Maximum working years in Taiwan is now 9 years!

Again, I've been in hibernation lately. Now we're back with a good news!

On May 30,2007, the maximum working limit for foreign workers in Taiwan has been extended to 9 years from the previous 6 years limit.

It is said that it is a compromise to the request of some 15,000 companies in Taiwan to totally remove the working-length limit. The 9 years limit is approved by the Legislative Yuan over opposition from the CLA (Council of Labor Affairs). The CLA has cited questions on social and economic impacts of longer stay of guest workers, like rights of foreign workers to claim retirement pensions, and demand to bring family members to Taiwan.

The case of Germany's immigration issues has been brought as an example as to why stay of migrant workers has to be limited. The CLA's position is understandable, because an influx of migrant workers is tough and complex issue to handle, particulary if guest workers fails to integrate well with their local population. But evidently, Taiwan needs guest workers to serve it's economy. Even with the government concerns that unemployment in Taiwan is growing, there are sectors in their multitude of industries with serious labor shortages. That explains the approval of the new limit.

I'm quite sure this news bring smiles and high hopes to many. Cheers!