KUALA LUMPUR - Taiwan will proceed cautiously on the potential introduction of migrant workers from India following growing public debate over the policy.

Labour Minister Hung Sun-han said implementation would depend on industry demand and whether India’s proposed framework meets Taiwan’s requirements.

“Any implementation would depend on demand from industries and whether India’s proposed framework meets Taiwan’s requirements,” he said in a Facebook post on April 13.

Hung told the Legislature that the first group of Indian workers could arrive as early as the end of 2026.

Taiwan and India signed a memorandum of understanding in February 2024 to address labour shortages.

The agreement was submitted to the Legislative Yuan in mid-2024 and received cross-party support.

The Ministry of Labor has since begun follow-up negotiations with India.

Hung said the government has spent the past two years assessing conditions as it seeks to diversify sources of foreign labour.

He noted that such diversification has been anticipated by multiple industries facing workforce shortages.

Public concern has also intensified, with a petition launched on the National Development Council platform calling for the plan to be halted.

The petition, which urges prioritisation of public safety and gender equality, had gathered more than 34,000 signatures as of Monday afternoon.

The statement accompanying the petition questioned whether existing screening measures are sufficient to mitigate potential risks.

It also raised concerns over the transparency and reliability of administrative systems in the proposed labour source country.

The petition reflected fears among some members of the public regarding safety and cultural differences.

A 2018 survey by the Thomson Reuters Foundation ranked India as the world’s most dangerous country for women based on expert perceptions.

Opposition lawmakers from the Kuomintang expressed firm opposition to the proposal.

Lin Pei-hsiang, secretary-general of the party’s legislative caucus, said the policy carries high risks.

He argued that Taiwan should first address existing issues involving undocumented migrant workers before expanding labour sources.

Lin also questioned whether the issue reflects a genuine labour shortage or a demand for lower-cost labour.

He called on the Cabinet to provide a comprehensive explanation of the policy rationale and industry demand.

Meanwhile, lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party urged a balanced and rational discussion.

They said the policy is intended to address labour shortages while acknowledging the need to respond to public concerns.

The lawmakers stressed that such concerns should not lead to discrimination.

They added that the Ministry of Labor should conduct a thorough evaluation, taking into account industry needs, public opinion and supporting measures.