NIA Yunlin Service Station Visits Strategic Alliance University to Promote New Immigration Act

• Date： 2024-01-30
• Source：Yunlin County Service Center
• Hit：286

        To strengthen the recruitment and retention of international talent, the new Immigration Act has loosened related residency regulations since January 1, 2024. The Yunlin County Service Station of the Southern Taiwan Administration Corps and the Specialized Operation Brigade of the National Immigration Agency, in collaboration with strategic partners, visited the National Yunlin University of Science and Technology to promote favorable measures and legislative updates to international students and faculty, collectively creating a welcoming environment for outstanding international talent.         To facilitate a more convenient life for foreigners and overseas students, starting from January 1, 2024, the period for applying for a residence permit has been extended from 15 days to 30 days for foreigners with valid visas or those eligible for visa-free entry. This allows foreign nationals coming to Taiwan to have ample time to find accommodation and become familiar with the environment. Additionally, overseas students studying in Taiwan under visa-free or temporary stay visas are exempt from applying for a residence visa from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They can directly apply for a residence permit based on their student status from the National Immigration Agency. This aims to create a friendly international living environment and attract foreign nationals to study in Taiwan.         To enhance incentives for foreign talent to remain in Taiwan, there are several measures being implemented. Foreign students studying in Taiwan will now be able to apply for an extended residence permit of up to 2 years after graduation. Additionally, foreign special professionals and those with specific expertise who obtain a master's or doctoral degree in Taiwan can have 1 to 2 years deducted from the required years for permanent residency. For foreign special professionals with specific expertise, the period required for permanent residency is reduced from 5 years to 3 years. Furthermore, after obtaining permanent residency, foreign nationals are no longer required to reside in Taiwan for more than 183 days annually. Instead, as long as they have an “average” residence of 183 days or more in the past 5 years, it will be considered sufficient. This change is designed to facilitate international travel arrangements for business, visiting friends, or family visits. Additionally, there is a newly instated provision allowing the spouses, unmarried children under 18, and disabled children of individuals who have made special contributions to Taiwan, achieved top honors in various fields, or are high-level professionals to apply for permanent residency together, aiming to attract more international talents to contribute to Taiwan's development.      Chung-chieh Huang, director of the NIA Yunlin County Service Station, expressed appreciation for the strategic partnership forged with National Yunlin University of Science and Technology (Yuntech) since 2012. Yuntech has been actively supporting the needs of foreign individuals, with 21 foreign faculty members and over 280 international graduate students contributing to its status as a hub for global talent. Among them are individuals with exceptional research achievements and academic contributions. Through this collaborative alliance, their goal is to jointly advocate for and attract more exceptional international professionals to establish roots in Taiwan, thereby elevating Taiwan’s international competitiveness.