Most employers breaking migrant caregiver rules: poll

Staff writer, with CNA

Foreign nationals working as domestic caregivers in Taiwan worked an average of 9.8 hours per day in June, while 82 percent of employers failed to follow regulations on working hours for migrant caregivers, according to the results of a Ministry of Labor survey issued yesterday.

The survey also found that 93 percent of foreign caregivers were allowed to receive at least eight hours of rest per day in the month.

The poll results show that foreign workers hired by businesses received an average of NT$25,440 per month in June, although the average wage for foreign caregivers was NT$19,643.

In terms of working hours, foreign workers hired by companies worked 210.7 hours on average in June, including 33.3 overtime hours, and received eight days off, the survey showed.

It also said 65.5 percent of foreign caregivers had fully or partially used their regular paid days off for the month, up 1.6 percent from June last year, while 98 percent of employers paid foreign caregivers who did not take their paid time off.

The survey found that 45.9 percent of businesses and 36.6 percent of families who employ foreign workers said they have encountered difficulty in the management of foreign workers, including poor communication.

The survey collected responses from 10,404 employers, including 5,839 companies and 4,565 families.