Taipei, Oct. 13 (CNA) Restrictions in Taiwan on hiring live-in caregivers from overseas will be eased starting Oct. 15, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) said Friday.
The easing of the rules will mean certain individuals who need full-time care will no longer have to undergo a functionality assessment using the Barthel Index to be eligible to hire foreign caregivers, the MOL said in a statement.
The Barthel Index is used in clinical practice and research to measure an individual’s ability to complete activities of daily living and is an important threshold in whether a family can hire an overseas caregiver.
From Oct. 15, individuals who have used long-term care for at least six months and those who have been diagnosed with mild dementia will be exempt from Barthel Index requirements for hiring a foreign caregiver, the MOL said.
Currently, elderly and severely ill citizens in Taiwan are required to receive such an assessment conducted by a hospital if their family wishes to hire a foreign caregiver, with the exception of individuals categorized under “specific disabilities.”
Meanwhile, the category of “specific disabilities,” which currently includes individuals facing significant limitations in their physical or mental abilities, will be expanded to include individuals with mild physical disabilities, as well as patients dealing with rare diseases, severe respiratory disorders, and loss of swallowing function.
Also, individuals aged 75 and above who hold a disability certificate with unlimited validity and have already hired a foreign caregiver will be exempt from undergoing a Barthel Index assessment if the terms of work of their caregivers expire and they need the services of another caregiver.
Meanwhile, the MOL said it will also be easing the rules to allow migrant workers in certain sectors the eligibility to apply for “intermediate skilled worker” status.
Currently, migrant workers are required to work for six consecutive years with the same employer in order to become eligible for the program.
According to the MOL, the easing of rules will allow them to apply for “intermediate skilled worker” status after working six cumulative years with the same employer, even if they are not consecutive.
Paul Su (蘇裕國), head of the Cross-Border Work-force Management Division under the MOL’s Workforce Development Agency, said the easing of the rules will also be implemented from Oct. 15.
