The Executive Yuan is set to propose the "Draft Act on the Protection of New Residents' Rights". Multiple immigration groups today put forward four demands, calling for the draft to include blue-collar migrant workers in the definition of new residents, establish training and licensing systems for interpreters across various fields, and incorporate human rights protections and anti-discrimination provisions.
More than ten organizations, including the Immigrant and Migrant Human Rights Advocacy Alliance, TransAsia Sisters Association Taiwan, Second Generation Phonograph, and Service the People Association, concerned with the "Basic Law for New Residents", delivered a petition to the Executive Yuan today. They urged the Executive Yuan to ensure the "Draft Act on the Protection of New Residents' Rights" addresses the needs of migrant workers.
The immigrant groups put forward four major demands:
- The dedicated unit responsible for immigration policies and the related rights of new residents should be a secondary agency under the Executive Yuan.
- The definition of new residents should include blue-collar migrant workers.
- There should be legal provisions for the establishment of training and licensing systems for interpreters in various fields.
- The Basic Law for New Residents should include human rights protections and anti-discrimination provisions.
The groups noted that while it is gratifying that the Legislative Yuan passed the initial review of the draft Basic Law for New Residents on the 12th, the most critical provisions, including the definition of "new residents" and the level and responsibilities of the "central competent authority for new resident affairs", have yet to be finalized.
Hung Man-Chih, Chairperson of the TransAsia Sisters Association Taiwan, expressed the hope for a functional and powerful unit and legislation to protect the rights of immigrants and migrant workers. She pointed out that the current National Immigration Agency under the Ministry of the Interior is a tertiary agency, lacking a comprehensive immigration policy. "If the level of the future New Residents Committee cannot be elevated to a secondary agency under the Executive Yuan, it will be no different from now, merely adding more official positions."
The groups also argued that the primary concept for new residents should be "residing in Taiwan," and should not exclude industrial and social welfare migrant workers. However, among the seven drafts proposed by the Legislative Yuan, only white-collar migrant workers and foreign professionals are included. Given the significant contributions of migrant workers to Taiwan's economy and society, excluding blue-collar migrant workers, while including white-collar ones, is a clear act of discrimination.
Liu Chun-Liang of the Taiwan Immigrant Youth Advocacy Alliance mentioned that during the initial review of the draft law by the Legislative Yuan on the 12th, there was a consensus among legislators on a provision stating, "The government should provide consultation services for new resident families regarding family, marriage, and parenting." However, substantial protections related to legal consultation, psychological counseling, and social welfare resources for immigrants are still lacking. The establishment of training and licensing systems for interpreters, which forms the basis for implementing many policies, was lightly discussed and overlooked in the committee discussions, "causing us to have great doubts about the foresight of the new residents' law."
The groups indicated that once the Executive Yuan's "Draft Act on the Protection of New Residents' Rights" is sent to the Legislative Yuan, it will be directly incorporated into cross-party negotiations. They plan to meet with party leaders and proposing legislators next week to fully express their demands and urge against a hasty approval or a mere vote on the issue.
[CNA / reporter Wu Xin-Yun / Taipei] 2024-06-19
[photo by TransAsia Sisters Association Taiwan ]