Government seeks expat advice

WAITING GAME: Officials said that while some changes that were requested can be put into place quickly, others require legal amendments and would require more time

Staff writer, with CNA





The government is collecting the views of expatriates living in Taiwan as it seeks ways to give them a more friendly living environment and make the nation more attractive to foreign professionals, the National Development Council said.

The council said that information on issues such as the suspension of schools and work during typhoon days or other natural disasters is not easily available to foreigners.

The council said it worked with the National Immigration Agency to have its Living in Taiwan Web site linked with the Central Weather Bureau and the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration to provide real-time information in English.

Expatriates have also complained that the e-filing software for tax returns is not easy to use. In response, the National Taxation Bureau started to revise the software this year and expects a new version of the software to be completed in April next year.

Another issue brought up by expatriates was that ATMs, even those with English instructions, are not easy to understand, to which the Financial Supervisory Commission responded that it would make sure that improvements are made.

Water, electricity and gas bills also lack English translations, the council said.

The council said that while some of the views it collected can be handled quickly, others require legal amendments and would require more time to coordinate.

An example of this is that foreign expatriates applying for Taiwanese citizenship have to first renounce their original nationalities.

The way the procedure is handled means that there is a period during the application process in which the applicant is left stateless.

Some foreign expatriates have also suggested easing working restrictions on spouses and children of Taiwanese.