Taiwan reopens doors to OFWs

MANILA, Philippines — The government of Taiwan will again allow entry to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) starting next week, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said yesterday.

He said Taiwan’s lifting of its COVID-19 travel restrictions would benefit about 40,000 OFWs.

“We thank Taiwan for welcoming once more our kababayan in their various employment industries starting Feb. 15. This is a valuable post-Valentine gift to our OFWs and their families,” Bello said in a statement.

Taipei-based labor attaché Cesar Chavez reminded migrant workers to strictly follow Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center guidelines.

Filipino workers, he said, are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before coming to Taiwan.

Chavez said employers should arrange a hotel to quarantine arriving migrant workers.

After completing a 14-day quarantine, migrant workers should stay in the same hotel for seven days of self-health management before going to the workplace, he added.

“Both workers and employers must strictly follow and abide with the Central Epidemic Command Center epidemic prevention measures, rules and guidelines,” Chavez stressed.

Chavez said failure to comply with the guidelines is tantamount to violating Taiwan’s employment service law and may result in the revocation of their employment permit.

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