Labor minister denies that Taiwan will bring in 100,000 Indian migrant workers

2023-11-16

The Ministry of Labor has denied reports that Taiwan will bring in 100,000 migrant workers from India. Labor minister Hsu Ming-chun confirmed that Taiwan is in talks to bring in Indian migrant workers. But she said no deal had been signed, and that the entry quotas had yet to be determined. She urged the public to not believe baseless online claims and to refrain from making racist comments about Indians.

Hsu Ming-chun
Labor minister
I would like to clarify that the claim that “Taiwan is going to bring over 100,000 Indian migrant workers” is disinformation. I urge the general public to not fall into this trap of cognitive warfare.

A rumor has been making the rounds, alleging that 100,000 Indian migrant workers will soon be admitted to Taiwan. Labor minister Hsu Ming-chun addressed the rumor head-on, calling it disinformation when speaking at the Legislative Yuan.

Lai Hui-yuan
DPP lawmaker
What is the status of the MOU right now? Which industries will it cover?

Hsu Ming-chun
Labor minister
We haven’t yet signed the MOU. After it is signed, we will carry out further meetings at different levels.

Hsu stressed that the migrant worker quotas and the industries covered would be discussed only after an MOU is signed with India. In recent days, rumors have been flying online, with an internet user saying the MOU would turn Taiwan into an “island of sexual assault.” The Ministry of Labor’s Facebook page has been flooded with comments that read, “I oppose Indian migrant workers.”

Su Chiao-hui
DPP lawmaker
What’s even more outrageous is that racist comments have become news headlines. Someone said that if we open up to Indian migrant workers, Taiwan will become an “island of sexual assault.”

Hsu Ming-chun
Labor minister
The question of where labor is sourced is handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after an assessment of national security issues. Adding another source country isn’t something the labor ministry can do instantaneously on its own. No. It’s already been discussed for two to three years. Both ruling and opposition parties have agreed to adding new sources of labor. I also think there shouldn’t be prejudice and discrimination against specific countries or groups of people. Such comments do not help with Taiwan’s diplomatic relations and international image.

Amid a severe labor shortage, Taiwan hopes to attract migrant workers from more countries. The labor ministry moved to reassure the public, saying all workers would be stringently screened.

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引進10萬印度移工? 許銘春:假消息勿落認知作戰陷阱

2023-11-16

我國與印度即將簽署勞務合作備忘錄，要引進移工，但還沒簽，網路上謠傳，若10萬印度移工來台，恐怕讓台灣變成性侵島，影響不少人，到勞動部臉書底下留言，反對印度移工，謠言越演越烈，勞動部長許銘春，也出面澄清，10萬數額，是假消息，懷疑有人刻意散播不實訊息。

[[勞動部長許銘春]]
“我要嚴正的澄清，「即將引進十萬名的印度勞工」這是假訊息，呼籲我們的國人同胞，不要掉入認知作戰的陷阱。”

10萬印度移工議題，近來吵得沸沸揚揚，勞動部長許銘春，親上火線，駁斥假消息，但衛環委員會上，免不了收到立委關心。

[[立委(民) 賴惠員]]
“MOU到底進行到什麼樣的一個程度？他是用在哪些產業？”

[[勞動部長許銘春]]
“MOU的部分，我們還沒有簽。MOU如果簽了之後，才會展開後續的層級會議。”

質詢中，許銘春強調，移工的引進，還有開放行業、及數量，都要等到MOU簽署後，才能進一步討論，只是恐慌已經發酵，網路上謠傳印度移工來台後，台灣恐怕變成"性侵島"，就連勞動部的臉書，都被"反對印度移工"的留言，給洗板。

[[立委(民) 蘇巧慧]]
更離譜的是，現在還把這個所謂的這種歧視性言論變成新聞大作，說什麼如果開放印度移工，台灣就要變性侵島？

[[勞動部長許銘春]]
“我們這個來源國的部分，我們是跟透過外交部，經過國安的評估。我們要引進移工來源國，不是說我今天找誰，我勞動部就直接去跟他簽了，不是。(已經是)經過兩三年的一個討論了。新增來源國這件事情是朝野各界的共識。不要對特定國家或種族，存有偏見或歧視，我想這樣子的話，對國家的外交還有國家形象並沒有幫助。”

國內面臨缺工危機，新增移工來源國，可以分散風險，因此勞動部也強調，會嚴格把關移工素質，盼國人安心。

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