Taiwan Hopes To Lure Digital Nomads With New Long-Term Visa

Policy makers in Taiwan are hoping to make the country a prime destination for digital nomads, and are considering a visa proposal designed to attract traveling workers to stay and work in the country for longer periods of time.  

The country’s National Development Council (NDC) will consider a proposal designed to draw international talent and encourage them to make Taiwan a long-term home.  

NDC Minister, Paul Liu, said at a press conference Thursday that council will submit draft amendments to Taiwan’s Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals to relax the current regulations governing qualifications for permanent residency. This move is intended to streamline efforts to recruit and retain a diverse range of international talent by providing a more flexible and welcoming visa environment. 

To facilitate this, the council plans to collaborate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to update visa regulations and issue specialized visas tailored for these remote workers. These proposed visas would allow digital nomads to live and work in Taiwan for up to 180 days (6 months).  

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic caused remote work environments to be rapidly adopted globally, and the number of digital nomads has risen ever since. The total number of digital nomads as of 2023 was around 35 million worldwide, according to a study published by EnterpriseAppsToday.  

Recognizing this trend, the Taipei Times reports, Taiwan’s NDC plans to attract 120,000 nomads to its shores by 2028, with the goal that 60,000 will be international professionals, 50,000 will be international students, and 10,000 will be digital nomads who choose to stay longer-term. 

Taiwan’s outlook on digital nomads aligns with programs adopted by several other international hubs throughout Asia including Japan, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand.