Recently, claims like “each pregnant migrant worker costs taxpayers NT$1.5 million” and “the government raises their children for free until age six” have been circulating online.
According to the Taiwan FactCheck Center, these claims are false.
As frontline workers, we want to share what’s actually happening—so the discussion can return to facts, not fear.
1. Maternity Benefits
If a migrant worker wants to apply for maternity benefits, she must be enrolled in labor insurance and meet the required number of insured days.
Only then can she receive a payout equal to two months of her insured salary—the exact same as Taiwanese workers. This is not a special privilege.
Also, many domestic caregivers are not covered by labor insurance at all, which means they don’t receive any maternity benefits.
2. “Special Subsidies” — Not Real
There are no such policies as:
- NT$10,000 “pregnancy bonuses”
- NT$15,000 monthly living allowances
- NT$30,000 childbirth subsidies
These are all easily verifiable false claims.
In reality, migrant workers are not eligible for many of the childcare subsidies and birth incentives that local citizens can apply for.
So the idea that they can “stay home and collect money” is completely misleading.
3. What Happens to Migrant Workers’ Babies
This is one of the most widely misunderstood—and controversial—topics online.
Take migrant worker shelters, for example. These centers provide temporary housing, meals, and support for documented workers before and after childbirth.
But in reality, most migrant mothers want to leave as soon as possible and go back to work—because they need to earn money to support their children.
Childcare in Taiwan is extremely expensive for them. As a result, many migrant workers send their babies back to their home countries within the first six months, so family members can help raise them, while they return to Taiwan to keep working.
Over the years, we’ve seen many migrant mothers struggle with the emotional toll of long-distance motherhood—the guilt and pain of not being able to watch their children grow up.
That’s why claims like “the government raises their kids for free until age six” are not just false—they’re deeply unfair.
Misinformation like this only fuels division.
We urge everyone: don’t be misled, and don’t share unverified claims.
Otherwise, we risk ignoring the very real challenges faced by migrant women—who play a critical role in supporting Taiwan’s industries and long-term care system—especially during one of the most vulnerable times in their lives.
🔍 The Taiwan FactCheck Center has published a detailed report on this issue. If you’re interested in learning more, we encourage you to check it out.