Care and Counseling for New Immigrants
- Date：
- Source：Immigration Counseling Section
- Hit：8493
- Updated date：2025-12-10
There are already more than 613 thousand new immigrants living in Taiwan as of September 2025. In response to the different needs of new immigrant families, we have advanced counseling and support policies through public-private partnerships to help them adapt to life in our country, as well as protect their rights. The government has been implementing immigrant-integration measures to help new immigrants build networks within their new communities. These efforts aim to strengthen support for new immigrant families, foster the development of their children, enhance the R.O.C. (Taiwan)’s global competitiveness and build an immigrant-friendly environment, thereby realizing the national vision of safeguarding immigrant human rights.
Progress:
1. Enactment of the New Immigrants Basic Law
To uphold the Constitution's commitment to multiculturalism and to reaffirm the government's resolve to safeguard new immigrants' rights, the Executive Yuan Council approved the draft of the "New Immigrants' Rights Protection Act," proposed by the Ministry of the Interior, on June 21, 2024, and then submitted it to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation. The bill was passed in its third reading by the Legislative Yuan on July 16, 2024, and was promulgated by the President on August 12 of the same year. The Act has been officially renamed as the “New Immigrants Basic Act” (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”) and consists of 19 articles. The scope of new immigrants has been expanded to include not only marriage-based immigrants but also professional immigrants and skilled immigrants, along with their children. To facilitate the establishment of a dedicated central-level agency for new immigrant affairs, the Ministry of the Interior has established the “Preparatory Task force for the Third-Level Central Administrative Agency for New Immigrant Affairs,” which convenes regularly to advance preparations regarding policy implementation, personnel allocation, and budget planning.
2. Formulation of the New Immigrant Care and Services Measures
In 2003, the Ministry of the Interior established the “Care and Guidance Measures for Foreign and Mainland Chinese Spouses,” which was renamed the “New Immigrant Care and Services Measures” in 2016. These measures comprise eight key areas: (1) life-adaptation counseling, (2) medical and reproductive health care, (3) protection of employment rights and interests, (4) enhancement of education and cultural development, (5) childcare and upbringing support, (6) personal safety protection, (7) strengthening of laws and regulations, and (8) promotion of public awareness. Relevant central and local government agencies implement these measures in accordance with their respective mandates and convene regular meetings to review and update the measures on a rolling basis.
3. Setting up the New Immigrants Development Fund
By integrating government and private resources, the Ministry of the Interior established the New Immigrants Development Fund in 2005 and allocates NT$300 million annually to support new immigrants and their children as them adapt to their new lives in Taiwan.
4. Establishing the Executive Yuan’s Coordination Meeting on Immigration Affairs
The Executive Yuan established a Coordination Meeting on Immigration Affairs on June 16, 2015, with the aim of coordinating immigrant integration efforts and promoting new immigrants’ rights, and building a friendly and multicultural society. The National Immigration Agency (NIA) serves as the coordinating agency for the Meeting.
5. Implementing the counseling service for life adaptation
The NIA funds 22 Municipal and County governments to support new immigrants in adapting to their new lives through various outreach activities and educational materials.
6. Setting up Counseling Service Hotline for Life Adaptation for Foreigners in Taiwan (Also known as International Community Service Hotline)（Domestic: 1990, Overseas: +886-800-00-1990）
The NIA provides a toll-free service hotline in 7 languages including Mandarin, English, Japanese, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Thai and Cambodian. The hotline provides information on visas, residence, entry and exit, employment, taxation, health insurance, transportation, social welfare, education, medical care and personal safety.
7. Building IFI (Information for Immigrants) Network website
In order to integrate inter-ministerial resources and protect rights and interests of new immigrants, the NIA built the IFI Network website (https://ifi.immigration.gov.tw) in 7 languages (Chinese, English, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, Burmese, and Cambodian). The NIA has also launched an official LINE account (ID:@ifitw) to offer up-to-date information on welfare benefits and the rights for new immigrants, as provided by relevant competent authorities and local governments.Conclusion
The NIA remains committed to actively promoting the well-being of new immigrants by providing new immigrants with the support to make them feel welcome and helping them integrate into Taiwan society.