Taiwan’s migrant worker population is creating business opportunities

Taiwan’s migrant worker population is creating business opportunities

2026-04-03

Taiwan’s severe labor shortage is bringing many migrant workers to come to the nation. Migrant workers on average remit half of their salaries back to their home countries each month, resulting in massive cross-border flows estimated to exceed NT$100 billion this year. Wu Yu-hsun, a former telecommunications executive, sniffed a business opportunity. He now provides migrant workers remittance services and has already captured more than 40% of the market. Let’s find out more.

Wu Yu-hsun
Cross-border financial services provider
Migrant workers typically send an average of NT$7,000 or NT$8,000 back home each month, or even up to NT$10,000.

Unlike Taiwanese people’s remittance habits, migrant workers usually make frequent remittances in small sums. According to statistics, migrant workers send an average of 50% of their salaries back home every month.

Wu Yu-hsun
Cross-border financial services provider
Thais mainly concentrate remittances during the Songkran Festival. Filipinos and Vietnamese people each have their own festivals, so it’s spread throughout the year in every season. I think the migrant worker remittance business is quite stable.

Currently, there are over 860,000 migrant workers in Taiwan, and cross-border capital flows are estimated to exceed NT$100 billion this year. Wu Yu-hsun, whose career began in the telecommunications industry, sniffed out a business opportunity and launched his own business ten years ago.

Wu Yu-hsun
Cross-border financial services operator
When I went on stage to sing Christmas carols for the migrant workers present and shared the joy with them, I discovered that they are actually quite simple and honest. They just hope that, in addition to working in Taiwan, there are some activities that can satisfy their homesickness or a channel for them to safely send the money they have worked so hard to earn back home.

In order to penetrate the market, Wu tried to look at things from the migrants’ perspective. Currently, his market share exceeds 40%. Given the severe labor shortage in Taiwan, this small-sum remittance services market for migrant workers still has more room for growth in the future.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#Taiwanworkers #foreign currency #migrantworkers #remittances

跨境金流年破千億! 吳侑勳靠"移工小額匯兌"成功上櫃

2026-04-03

國內合法移工人數突破86萬人，根據統計，移工每個月會把五成薪資匯回家鄉，跨境金流規模龐大，預估今年突破一千億。過去從事電信業的吳侑勳，看準移工匯兌商機、創業，在移工小額匯兌市佔超過四成，去年還成功上櫃。

[[跨境金融業者吳侑勳]]
“移工通常每個月會把工作所得，匯回家裡平均數字大概七、八千元，甚至到一萬塊錢”

不同於國人匯款習慣，移工朋友平常習慣小額、高頻率匯款，根據統計，移工平均每個月會把5成薪水匯回家鄉。

[[跨境金融業者吳侑勳]]
“泰國他們主要會集中在，潑水節，菲律賓人跟越南人各自有各自節日，所以分散在一年四季當中，我覺得移工的交易都蠻穩定的”

目前在台灣移工人數超過86萬，今年跨境金流預估突破一千億，電信業出身的吳侑勳早在10年前就瞄準商機、白手創業。

[[跨境金融業者吳侑勳]]
“我上台唱聖誕快樂歌，給在場的移工聽，跟他們同樂，過程當中就會發現，其實他們相對是很純樸的，他們只是希望在台灣工作之餘，有一些可以讓他們滿足思鄉的活動，或是讓他們把手中辛苦掙來的錢，安全匯回家鄉的管道”

為了打入市場，吳侑勳努力換位思考，目前市佔已經超過四成，國內缺工問題嚴峻，移工小額匯兌市場，未來還有更多成長空間。

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民視台灣台（152頻道）週一至週五晚上9:30
民視新聞台（53頻道）週二至週六凌晨1:00

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Taichung upgrades public parks in ambitious city-wide Melody Project

From thrilling slides to shaded play areas, parks in Taichung are getting a major makeover. As the city pushes to become a more livable “garden city,” families are already enjoying upgraded spaces where kids can play freely and parents can relax nearby. But it’s not just about adding more parks, it’s about making them better. With hotter weather in recent years keeping many families indoors, the city is rethinking how outdoor spaces are designed, adding more shade and comfort to bring people back outside. Now, with new features and even more ambitious plans ahead, Taichung’s park transformation under the Melody Project is entering its next phase.

Kids are having a blast at this spectacular playground, as their parents relax while keeping an eye on them from under the shade. Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen launched the city’s Melody Project as a means to transform the metropolis into a livable garden city. It’s not just about building more parks, but also about upgrading existing parks to meet the needs of local residents.

Lu Shiow-yen
Taichung Mayor
We continue to promote the Melody Project, through which we are constructing new parks and renovating existing ones.

The Melody Project was launched seven years ago, and has grown and adapted into the current 3.0 version. One of the key issues tackled is that families have become less eager to spend time engaging in outdoor activities due to the increasingly hot weather in recent years. One of the main missions in the current iteration of the project is to make the outdoor environment more comfortable, such as by adding shaded areas in parks.

Local
Likes the park
I think the design is great. There are plenty of places to rest when you are out and about like this.

The Taichung City Government teamed up with experts and local communities to promote and implement the program. It held multiple public briefings to ensure that each park and playground would align with unique local characteristics. For example. In Taiping District, the Macaron Park features the tallest outdoor slide in the entire country. Towering at 11m, the slide offers riders a thrilling burst of speed.

Local kid
Enjoying the playground
It’s really fun. It’s not like other slides, it’s a lot taller. It’s four or five stories tall!

Over at Houli District, the Houli Forest Park boasts the most swing sets out of any park in the country, with a grand total of 31 swings. It’s an idyllic place to relax and unwind and take in nature. And over at Taichung Central Park, which is themed around the future of flight, you can find the longest dual-track zipline in Taiwan, stretching for a staggering 32m. And if you thought that was exciting, you’ll be delighted to hear what new surprises are in the making.

Chen Ta-tien
Taichung Construction Bureau
Under the Melody Project, Taichung has completed work on 235 inclusive parks, achieving many “firsts” and “mosts” in the country. We’ll be finishing work on two more themed parks this year: the Stag Beetle Ecological Park in Dongshi, and a slide playground at Aofengshan Valley in Qingshui District.

When it opens, the Stag Beetle Ecological Park in Dongshi will be the first in Taiwan themed around the insect. The green haven will include wax apple trees to attract beetles and will feature ecological restoration zones within forested areas. It will also incorporate elements inspired by traditional Hakka architecture to blend ecological conservation with the local cultural identity.

Chen Ta-tien
Taichung Construction Bureau
At the Aofengshan Park in Qingshui District, we are building a slide playground in the valley, which will have the largest number of slides in one place out of anywhere in the country. That’s a total of 34 slides. By taking advantage of the natural elevation of the terrain we are creating play routes with many different levels. The park will also feature a large play tower, roller slides, climbing apparatus and many other features. Once it’s completed, it will become a key recreational destination near the coast.

Both of the themed parks are scheduled for completion within the year. The Taichung City Government says it will continue promoting its Melody Project, with the goal of turning the entire city into a safe and welcoming space for residents, so that parks can become a beautiful part of urban everyday life.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#taichung #park #urban #stagbeetle #macaron #playground #slide #shade #garden #gardencity

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Cheng Li-wen seeks to write ‘1992 consensus’ into KMT charter

In past cross-strait meetings, gifts made headlines. Ma Ying-jeou once gave Xi Jinping a porcelain Taiwan blue magpie, and Lien Chan presented Hu Jintao a book on Taiwan history. Now, KMT Chair Cheng Li-wunis meeting Xi, but this time, there will be no gift exchange. Instead, her symbolic “present” is a proposed amendment to the KMT party charter to formally include the “1992 Consensus” and opposition to Taiwan independence. Critics say this move goes further than past KMT leaders, edging the party closer to Beijing and raising concerns about Taiwan’s sovereignty. Cheng frames it as a step for peace, but opponents warn it risks surrendering Taiwan’s interests.

Back in 2015, when former President Ma Ying-jeou met Chinese leader Xi Jinping, he presented Xi with a porcelain statue of a Taiwan blue magpie. In a previous meeting between KMT Chair Lien Chan and then-Chinese leader Hu Jintao, Lian gave Hu a book about Taiwan history. Now that KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun is set to meet Xi as well, people are wondering what gift she will present him.

Cheng Li-wun
KMT Chair
We have mutually agreed to not exchange gifts, so this time around there won’t be any gift-giving at all.

Though there will be no physical gifts, Cheng will be giving China a symbolic gift. She announced that the so-called “1992 Consensus” and “opposition to Taiwan independence” will be written into the KMT’s party charter.

Cheng Li-wun
KMT Chair
Insisting on the “1992 Consensus” and opposing Taiwan independence were positions originally in our party charter.

Cheng says the two positions on cross-strait affairs were already written into the party charter. But a thorough read of the text shows that the KMT charter only opposes communism and national division. Critics say that an amendment of the charter is akin to making promises to China, which would make Cheng arguably the most pro-China KMT chair ever.

Wang Ting-yu
Lawmaker (DPP)
Cheng Li-wun wants to write those positions into the KMT charter. She’s taking an even bigger step toward unifying with the CCP than Lien Chan and Ma Ying-jeou.

The DPP says Cheng is being calculating. They say she is passing off capitulation to China wrapped up as peace and stability, while delaying Taiwan’s military purchases to appease China.

Karen Kuo
Presidential Office
We hope that during her visit, Cheng will reflect mainstream opinion in Taiwan, and acknowledge the fact of the existence of the ROC. We also hope that the blocking of the defense budget, special budget and general budget will end so that they can go through legislative review and get passed promptly.

Wang Ting-yu
DPP lawmaker
Cheng Li-wun says that she is doing all that for the sake of peace. But Taiwan is not at war. Peace comes when the aggressor lays down their arms. Disarming your own country is called surrender.

Cheng has reiterated that she is acting for Taiwan’s sake, but critics say the direction she is taking on the matter of cross-strait relations is straying away from what the people of Taiwan actually want.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#taiwan #china #ccp #kmt #dpp #chengliwun #鄭麗文

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Traditional bags see resurgence as Mideast war impacts plastics

The war in the Middle East has made raw materials for making plastic bags difficult to acquire, resulting in price increases and shortages. Because of this, traditional “ox head” bags have made it out of the fields. Originally used to carry pesticides, farmers are now using these large and durable bags for their daily necessities as well. The distinctive Taiwanese Gaji bag is also seeing a resurgence.

A farmer is going out into his orchard to tend to his crops. But what does he have there? There’s a white nylon bag hanging from his scooter, and he’s carrying another. What’re they for?

Farmer
For laying plastic piping. If we’re not irrigating, we’ll carry some water and my phone—whatever I’ll need in the orchard.

This is the “ox-head” bag used by farmers, called that because it looks like an ox head when folded. As it was designed to carry pesticides out into the field, it’s spacious and durable—suitable for shopping and eco-friendly to boot. As the war in the Middle East rages on and plastic bags are becoming harder to find, the “ox head” bag is quickly becoming a replacement.

Pesticide seller
Back in the day they were made from canvas. Later, we made plastic versions. It’s eco-friendly. It can be used many times. After carrying pesticides, you can use it to carry farming tools. So the tradition has been passed down.

It’s not only “ox-head” bags. The colorful blue, green, and red-striped “Gaji” bags from Tainan’s Houbi District are also having a moment. Once a must-buy souvenir for foreign tourists, they’ve also recently seen a surge in sales.

Huang Cheng-hsiung
Gaji bag maker
Due to the rush to buy plastic products recently, many people have come to our store to place orders. We’re working hard to produce more to meet demand.

Businesses that use lots of plastic bags are also feeling the squeeze. In Kaohsiung, a famous soy milk restaurant announced they’re no longer offering them from April 1. If customers want a bag, they have to bring their own.

Member of public
If I need a regular hand bag, I usually bring my own. But if I need one of those heat-resistant bag for food, it could be inconvenient.

With the temporary shortage, some shop owners are unwilling to absorb the increased costs and have simply stopped buying plastic bags. Some are instead using classic Taiwanese bags as a replacement. After all, necessity is the mother of invention, and it could even bring a touch of traditional fashion.

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Judo students throw cop in playful ‘revenge’ for tickets

Did you ever think that one day you could fight a cop—legally? Officer Shun Chi from the New Taipei City Police Department’s Juvenile Affairs Brigade often goes to campuses to give lectures and teach self-defense. But one day after giving a talk at NTNU, he was pulled into judo club practice, where the students relished the rare chance to throw a cop. One after another, they flipped Shun-chi onto the mat, joking that it was revenge for all the traffic tickets they’ve ever gotten.

Here at judo practice, a smiling Shun Chi is put into a headlock and thrown to the mats by the coach while still in full uniform. The students start clapping, jeering that their coach just attacked a cop.

The class then lines up after their coach for their turn flipping the officer.

They all found it hard to stop laughing at the sight of a cop being tossed around.

Shun Chi
New Taipei police officer
I happen to know some of the students, and they asked if they could throw me! So I went with them and had a little fun with it.

Mr. Ho
Judoka
It was so fun! We practice throws every day. They’re nothing special. But getting someone else in here to join us—especially a police officer, and a handsome one at that! It made it even better.

Wang Yu-chun
FTV reporter
Want to legally take down a cop? Just practice judo. We’ll reenact the scene for you, right here, right now.

Shun Chi, an officer with the department’s Juvenile Affairs Brigade, has a fourth-degree black belt in Taekwondo and a black belt in judo. Part of his mission is teaching self-defense.

Shun Chi
New Taipei police officer
It’s important to teach everyone how to protect themselves. If you know how to apply some of these concepts, then when you actually encounter danger, you won’t be as nervous or afraid.

Shun Chi says that although Taiwan is safe, there are no downsides to learning self-defense. He hopes that these amusing clips will encourage more people to think about their personal safety.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#selfdefense #judo #cop #policeofficer #martialarts #throw #practice #NTNU

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Faux-weathered wedge building becomes Tainan’s new photo hotspot

Along a small alley off Ximen Road in Tainan’s North District, there’s an oddly shaped building that’s only about 126 square meters big. Shaped paper-thin like a wedge, the entire exterior is covered in rusty metal sheeting, giving it a unique look that’s been attracting visitors looking for the perfect photo. The owner has a background in architectural design, and turned this odd lot into a standout.

Cheng Po-hui
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This metal building down in a small ally has become Tainan’s new hotspot for photos. The weathered metal sheeting gives it a distinctive look.

- It’s unique, and hidden down a small alley.

- I love how this chic-looking ruin just pops up in the old city. It’s really something.

The placement is special, as it’s surrounded by roads on all four sides. At its smallest point, it’s barely as wide as a person’s arm span. Even at the widest point at the back, it’s only big enough for a simple coffee stand. But the owner knew exactly what he was doing.

Voice of Mr. Wu
Building owner and designer
I’m an architect by trade and specialize in faux-aging. So I figured I’d give this old metal building a weathered feel.

There used to be a shop here selling soy sauce, but the lot sat vacant for many years before the current owner bought it and got a little creative with the design.

Neighbor
Likes renovation
This used to be a soy sauce factory with a big ditch in front. Then it was a parking lot for a while. The renovation was well done. It really stands out.

Even though it looks old on the outside, it’s actually built with a modern steel frame. After nightfall, the tiny triangular space in front becomes a bar.

Chang Jung
Real-estate agent
It wouldn’t really work as a traditional home. It’s too exposed. As a commercial space, the market here isn’t very strong, so you have to do something unique like this.

This rusty, avant-garde townhouse has become an instant hit, drawing talk among the locals and travelers to come down this unassuming Tainan alley for a few pictures.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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