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Migrant Workers in Taiwan face job loss during pregnancy

Migrant Workers in Taiwan face job loss during pregnancy

January 13, 2025
Stress Asian woman working at her workplace. Business concept. Close up

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Nearly 80% of migrant workers terminated their contracts after becoming pregnant in 2023, reports Taiwan News, citing research from the Health Promotion Administration. The research found that 6,000 migrant workers in Taiwan become pregnant every year. However, many are pressured to resign by employers and brokers after becoming pregnant, per newspaper UDN.

Meanwhile, data from the Bureau of Labor Insurance shows that nearly 78% of industrial migrant workers who receive maternity benefits terminate their contracts and return to their home countries.

Migrant workers are protected under Taiwan’s Gender Equality in Employment Act, which prohibits employers from dismissing, forcing resignation, or discriminating against employees due to pregnancy or childbirth. Violators face fines ranging from NTD 300,000 (USD 9,059) to NTD 1.5 million (USD 45,298) and are prohibited from hiring migrant workers for two years. Despite these protections, some employers, concerned about the potential inconvenience caused by pregnancy or postnatal care, collaborate with brokers to “legally” persuade workers to resign.