The Manila Economic and Cultural Office’s labor attaché in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, confirmed yesterday that newly processed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) bound for Taiwan are entitled to the recent salary increase. In a recent episode of DAILY TRIBUNE’s digital show “Usapang OFW,” Labor Attaché David Des Dicang announced that 17,721 new OFWs, in addition to the existing 123,768 in the manufacturing sector, will benefit from the wage hike passed by Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan.
This increase, which raises the minimum wage from NT$26,400 to NT$27,470 per month, is set to take effect on January 1, 2024. Dicang emphasized that the increase is retroactive and will automatically apply to workers, eliminating the need for contract updates.
The Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) explained that the wage hike aims to help workers manage rising inflation and the increased cost of living. Additionally, Dicang noted that OFW deployment to Taiwan is nearing pre-pandemic levels, with potential expansions in hospitality, agriculture, and caregiving sectors.
Furthermore, Dicang mentioned Taiwan’s migrant-friendly policies and the possibility of liberalizing tenure limits for manufacturing and caregiving workers, which are currently capped at 14 and 12 years, respectively.