Taiwan only issued 8 working permits for Hongkongers seeking refuge: report
Taiwan authorities have only issued working permits to eight Hongkongers, despite receiving requests for help from more than 1,700 people, according to a report.
The eight Hongkongers were granted working permits after being classified as refugees under Taiwan’s labor laws, a source told local news outlet China Times. Refugee status is typically applied to stateless individuals, but the Hongkongers were given special treatment by the Executive Yuan, the report said.
Aegis, a restaurant in Taipei that has been offering jobs to young Hongkongers seeking shelter on the self-ruled island, was reportedly hiring employees classified as refugees under the labor law.
Taiwan authorities did not confirm if the Hongkongers were employed at the restaurant. Article 51 of the Employment Service Act, which grants refugees a right to work, has no restrictions on the types of jobs or salaries that can be accepted, the authorities said.
The Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan’s top body in charge of cross-straits affairs, said on Sunday that it had logged more than 1,700 cases of Hongkongers seeking help in areas including immigration, citizenship, investment, employment and education.
The council said that it was studying the system and regulations on Hong Kong immigrants, and that it must “balance the needs of national security and epidemic control.” It outlined three directions: helping top Hong Kong graduates work in Taiwan, loosening the residency restrictions for Hong Kong professionals as well as facilitating investment-based immigration.
The Taiwan-Hong Kong Services and Exchanges Office was set up by the council in July to offer consultations.
Under Taiwanese law, “necessary assistance shall be provided to Hong Kong or Macau Residents whose safety and liberty are immediately threatened for political reasons.”
However, Shih Yi-hsiang, secretary-general of the Taiwan Association for Human Rights, said that the legislation was overly vague and should be amended to include implementation details.
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