Migrant, women's groups urge integration of domestic caregivers into long-term care system

Migrant and women's organizations demonstrated outside the Ministry of Health, calling for the formal integration of domestic caregivers into Taiwan's long-term care system. They argue this move is crucial for both maintaining care quality and safeguarding the labor rights of these workers.

The current system, where families directly hire domestic caregivers, presents significant limitations in long-term care services. According to the Taiwan Migrant Labor Union, the Foundation of Women's Rights Promotion, and the Taiwan Alliance for the Advancement of Disability Self-Living, families bear a substantial care burden. This burden intensifies when caregivers take leave or return to their home countries, directly impacting the care capacity and leaving caregivers with insufficient rest.

Furthermore, the groups highlighted that domestic caregivers are not yet covered by the Labor Standards Act, leading to disparities in working hours, leave, and wages compared to other workers. While the government has introduced respite care and short-term substitute care measures, accessing these resources remains difficult for families employing domestic caregivers. The organizations advocate for a gradual transition, transforming domestic caregivers into public long-term care service personnel, with long-term care institutions acting as employers.

Wu Hsi-wen, deputy director of the Ministry of Health's Long-Term Care Administration, acknowledged the widespread impact of shifting the employment model. He noted that a direct one-on-one, 24-hour care provided by individual employers might be difficult to replicate if institutions become employers, potentially requiring shift work. The administration is actively collecting opinions and assessing the implications for all stakeholders. Wu also pointed out that caregivers' leave is considered equivalent to a citizen not employing a foreign caregiver, allowing access to all long-term care services, including 52 days of respite care annually. He advised early consultation with case managers for care arrangements. The ministry is continuing discussions with the Ministry of Labor regarding the potential employment model change.