Application

In order to qualify for an Employment Gold Card, your skills must be related to one of ten fields: Science and Technology, Economics, Education, Culture and Art, Sport, Finance, Law, Architecture, National Defense, or Digital. You must select which ministry is most relevant, and in most cases, also select a specific qualification in that particular area for your application.

Feel free to use our Gold Card Qualification Check to check your qualification.

Application is done online.

Once you have determined how you are qualified, gather the required documents:

1. Digital copy of your passport
2. Digital copy of your passport photo
3. Digital copies of all documents needed to support your application
4. Your previous Taiwanese visa and residence permit (if any)

For more info Application Process

To reset your password, login to the Foreign Professionals Online Application Platform and click “Forget Password?”

To inquire about your account number, please write to the National Immigration Agency at a378liu@immigration.gov.tw and provide a copy of your Gold Card or passport.

If any of these below are true, your application will not be accepted:

1. An R.O.C. National who has a Taiwanese household registration, and is currently residing in Taiwan.
2. Entered Taiwan with an R.O.C passport. Note: When applying for residency, or an extension of stay or residency, those who entered Taiwan with a foreign passport must first register their moving-out registration with the Household Registration Office.
3. The application of males who have not completed compulsory military service of conscription age or near conscription age if they fall into one of the following situations:* Having neither an Overseas Compatriot Identity Certificate for the purpose of military service nor an Overseas Compatriot Identity Endorsement on his R.O.C. passport.

• Being an overseas draftee who has resided in Taiwan Area for one year or more.
• Having been subjected to conscription in accordance with the law and is being restricted from leaving the country.

There is no “general” application category. You must select a single ministry to assess your skills.

You do not need to have a high salary. Some fields have a criteria where applicants with a salary greater than NT$160,000 qualify, however, this is only one criteria. To date, other than the dedicated salary criteria, no other criteria has financial requirements.

• Employment Gold Card holders. (Article 9 of the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals)
• A foreign special professional who engages in professional work in the R.O.C. and has obtained permanent residency. (Article 7 of Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals)
• A foreign worker who is employed as a consultant or researcher by the R.O.C. government or their subordinate academic research institutes. (Subparagraph 1, Paragraph 1, Article 48 of the Employment Service Act)
• A foreign worker who is married to a Taiwanese citizen, has a registered permanent residence in Taiwan, and is permitted to stay in Taiwan. (Subparagraph 2, Paragraph 1, Article 48 of the Employment Service Act)
• A foreign worker who is employed at a public or registered private college/university to hold lectures or conduct academic research, and is approved by the Ministry of Education. (Subparagraph 3, Paragraph 1, Article 48 of the Employment Service Act)
• Those who only hold Republic of China nationality and do not have a permanent residence in Taiwan. (Article 79 of the Employment service Act)
• Individuals from the Mainland Area approved to have spouse residency or long-term residency on a case-by-case basis. (Article 17-1 of the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area)
• Those whose entry visa is viewed as work permit – holiday work: The entry visa held by a foreign worker shall be deemed as a work permit. Should such visa be granted on the basis of an international written agreement specifying the foreign work permit, the number of people, and the period of residence (stay), it must be noted that the primary purpose of such agreement is not to enter Taiwan to work. (Article 4 of the Regulations on the Permission and Administration of the Employment of Foreign Workers)
• Cases in which the entry visa held by a foreign worker for a period of stay that is within 30 days shall be deemed as a work permit (Paragraph 1, Article 5 of the Regulations on the Permission and Administration of the Employment of Foreign Workers):

1. Undertaking contracts for at most 30 days.
2. To help assist in the solution of emergency cases and related problems for the purpose of public welfare and to engage in special and technical work.
3. Well-known experts recognized by the central governing authorities or invited by schools of the college level or higher, governments of all levels and their subordinate academic research institutes to be engaged in speeches or commercial technical advisory work.
4. Those who are invited by the central governing authorities to be engaged in non-profit art performances or sports events.

• Cases in which the entry visa for a period of stay that is within 90 days held by a foreign worker shall be deemed as a work permit (Paragraph 2, Article 5 of the Regulations on the Permission and Administration of the Employment of Foreign Workers): A foreigner who obtains an Academic and Business Travel Card issued by the immigration authority (National Immigration Agency) for the purpose of engaging in speeches or technical advisory work. For related information, please refer to the Here

Please check the currency rate for your salary.

As long as one of the rates meets the requirement, you are eligible to apply for the Gold Card:

1. The Buying Cash Rate during the time your application is being reviewed by the Workforce Development Agency (WDA).
2. The Buying Cash Rate during the time your salary was earned.

Please review the List of Industries to check whether your industry is considered as under the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ jurisdiction.

If you want to find out if you are eligible for the Taiwan Employment Gold Card, please refer to the Foreign Talent Act website’s information page. If you have related questions, please visit Contact Taiwan’s website as well or send us an e-mail to help@taiwangoldcard.tw

The timeline for issuing the Employment Gold Card is as follows:

1. Information Check: The National Immigration Agency confirms your basic details (1-2 weeks).

2. Qualification Check: Various relevant ministries review your application (1-2 months). If you are asked to provide Supplementary Documents, it will take longer.

3. Passport Inspection: For overseas applicants, your local Taiwan embassy will inspect your passport (1 week). For domestic applicants, this step shall be skipped.

4. Secondary Review: The National Immigration Agency (NIA) performs a final review of your application and prints your Gold Card (1-2 weeks). However, if you have worked for any Mainland Chinese companies or the government, please expect at least 1-2 months for the National Immigration Agency’s final review.

   

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There is an application fee, which is paid through the Gold Card application portal. There are no separate visa or work permit fees.

The application fees vary depending on if you have applied domestically or abroad, the duration of the visa, and your nationality. Please check the Fees for Employment Gold Card section of the application portal.

There are currently 6 online payment methods, including international credit cards, domestic credit cards, E-government payment platform, virtual account payment, 4 major convenience store payments, and Web ATM (card reader payment). The government will pay for the remittance fee if the payment is made by credit card, but the applicant will be responsible for the remittance fee if the payment is made by E-government payment platform, virtual account payment, 4 convenience store payment, or Web ATM. Please note that it will take 2-3 working days to receive a payment success notification after paying through a virtual account or through the 4 major convenience stores. If you wish to use a Debit Card, you must choose the Web ATM payment option.

If you are unable to make your application payment with an international credit card, it may be due to the following reasons:

1. 3D Secure failed (you have not applied or entered incorrectly, and you need to apply for a verification code from your bank, and enter the verification number)
2. Credit card loss report
3. Your credit card company is not in cooperation with the Bank of Taiwan

Please try using JCB, VISA, or MasterCard. Do NOT use AMEX or China UnionPay

If you continue to have issues, please contact the National Immigration Agency at a378liu@immigration.gov.tw

Please follow these instructions to pay your application fees online.

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1. Mainland Chinese citizens
2. Individuals with Hong Kong/Macau and Taiwan Dual Citizenship
3. Individuals who entered Taiwan with an R.O.C. passport
4. R.O.C. Nationals living in Taiwan with a household registration
5. R.O.C. Nationals who entered Taiwan with a foreign passport and have not yet applied for Household De-Registration
6. Men who have not fulfilled their military service obligations or are close to service age who fall under any of the following categories:

• Does not hold an Overseas Compatriot Identity Certificate for Military Service Purpose
• Does not hold an R.O.C. passport with the endorsement of the Overseas Chinese residence status
• Has Overseas Compatriot with Military Service Identity and has lived in Taiwan for one year
• Is subject to conscription and restrictions to exit according to the Act of Military Service System

If your birthplace is in Mainland China, the National Immigration Agency will require you to upload the following documents:

1. Your passport to prove you’ve been to foreign countries over four years; for example, present every page of your passport to prove the duration of your stay.
2. Make an entry list along with your passport pages to show that each time you went back to China you did not stay past 30 days per year, within the past four years. (dates and entry stamps are required.)

In addition to submitting documents to meet the requirements prescribed in Article 7 Paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Enforcement Rules for the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, shall also submit one of the following:

• Original certification of non-establishment of Mainland household registration verified by the Straits Exchange Foundation.

• Original notarial certification of cancellation of Mainland household registration verified by the Straits Exchange Foundation.

• Documentary proof sufficient to prove renunciation of ID as a People of the Mainland Area, verified by an ROC (Taiwan)embassy or overseas mission.

• Other documentary proof sufficient to prove renunciation of ID as a People of the Mainland Area.

  Flowchart for Cancelling Hukou in Mainland China.pdf

If you are Hong Kong or Macao resident, please refer HERE .

Should you have any questions regarding the required documents, please contact NIA’s service center .

For those who apply for a Gold Card for the first time, the card issuance date is the start date. For those who extend their Gold Card, the period of validity will be extended from the original period of stay.

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Please apply online via the “ Foreign Professionals Online Application Platform (Employment Gold Card) ”. The application is reviewed by the National Immigration Agency of the Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other specialized authorities.

All Employment Gold Cards must be picked up in-person in Taiwan. Before you arrive in Taiwan, please find your “Republic of China Employment Gold Card Resident Authorization Certificate” online and print it out. You can enter Taiwan with this certificate along with your passport inspection certificate. You must bring this certificate and your original passport to your previously selected National Immigration Agency’s Service Center to pick up your Employment Gold Card. You must pick up your Gold Card within 30 days, starting from the day after your arrival.

To check your application status, login to the Foreign Professionals Online Application Platform , click “Application Progress Inquiry”, and fill in your 12-digit application number.

If you wish to check the status of your application, please only fill in the first 3 columns and leave the rest blank.

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Unfortunately, there will be no refunds once your application is submitted, regardless of the result of the application or if you revoke your application.

Please refer to the relevant regulations .

If you have any objections to the adjudication given by the National Immigration Agency, you may file an administrative appeal to the agency’s service center that you have chosen to pick up your Gold Card within 30-days of receiving this adjudication. Your appeal will then be forwarded to the Ministry of the Interior. If you have any questions about filing an appeal, please contact the NIA’s Service Center or write to NIA’s Director .

If the Gold Card holder acquires or restores their R.O.C nationality during the period of residence in Taiwan, the NIA shall revoke or repeal the Gold Card in accordance with the Act 7, The Regulations Governing Employment Gold Card Permit for Foreign Special Professionals, “During the period of residence in the State, the Employment Gold Card holder falls into one of the situations described in various paragraphs of Article 32 of the Immigration Act”.

If you need to choose a year before 2012, please click 2012 and scroll up. If you have forgotten the date that your ROC Visa was issued, please contact the Bureau of Consular Affair.

Please follow the steps below or the attached photo to fill in your ARC number. Case Status Check → The List of Supplemental Documents → View → Modify → Resident → ID No. (optional)

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1. At present, Taiwan’s Uniform Identification (UI) Number format is divided into two formats. The old format consists of 2 English letters plus 8 numerical digits, and the new format consists of 1 English letter plus 9 numerical digits. If you once had an ID number in the old format but have converted to a new UI number, please use your new UI number to apply.
2. If you are not a Hong Kong or Macao resident, UI No. means ARC number.

Please select the city and district from the drop-down menu, and type in the rest of your address in Chinese (do not type in the city and district).

Please refer to the photo attached below.

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1. Please use either Google Chrome or Firefox as your browser (do not use Safari).
2. Please do not use any symbols when making your account username.
3. Make sure that each page of your application has been successfully saved.
4. Ensure that you have answered every question with a red asterisk next to it.
5. Check that your passport photo and supporting documents have been uploaded successfully. Your passport photo should be 413 pixels wide and 531 pixels high and supporting documents should be in PDF format.
6. You can only upload one PDF file (max 1024K) that contains all of your documents. If you are not familiar with combining and compressing PDF files, there are several open-source PDF Editors on the Internet that can help (e.g. SnapFiles or ILovePDF).
7. Check to see if your application portal has popped up in a new window (please pay attention to your Logout Countdown; the NIA platform will redirect users who have spent more than 30 minutes on one page).
8. If your session has timed out, please log in again and re-submit your application.
9. Please do NOT encrypt your documents.
10. Clear the Cache and Cookies in Your Web Browser.

If you continue to have issues, please contact the National Immigration Agency at a378liu@immigration.gov.tw

If you are planning on applying under the salary qualification, see below. You must provide ALL of the following:

• Personal CV
• Proof of Employment: You will need to attach your employment certificate, with your company’s name, position, and date of employment. Documents should also include the stamp, seal, or signature of (the representative of) the entity by which the paper was issued. For a sample of an employment certificate

Aside from the document(s) stated above, you must provide ONE of the following:

1. Any annual tax statement issued within 3 years of the application date (e.g., Australia PAYG Payment Summary, Canada T4, Israel 106 Form, Poland PIT-11, Russia 2-NDFL, UK P60, US W-2) to prove that your monthly salary was at average above NTD$160,000. If such certification cannot be presented owing to provisions of tax law, it may, after explanation of the tax law provisions preventing its presentation, be replaced by an employer’s certification. (The Certificate of Employment should specify the period of employment, job content/position, and the actual salary received. If the Certificate of Employment does not specify the salary, it should be accompanied by a salary slip to support it).

   If your annual salary reaches 1,920,000 NTD, “salaries and wages” shall include salaries, stipends, wages, allowances, annuities, cash awards, bonuses, and all kinds of subsidies. Whereas the money received for performing duties for the employer, such as traveling expenditures, daily allowance and overtime pay (not in excess of the prescribed amounts) shall be excluded. If these qualifications are met, you may be eligible.

   You can choose any one year within 3 years of your application date for your tax return. The Workforce Development Agency (WDA) will take the amount on your annual tax form, divide it by 12, and see if the average monthly salary is at least NTD$160,000. With respect to the exchange rate calculation basis, the WDA’s current reviewing method is based on whether the cash purchase rate on the date of review or during the period of employment of the applicant has reached NTD$160,000, and the buying cash rate from the Bank of Taiwan’s historical exchange rate will be used for valuation. If you want to check the exchange rate, please refer to the Bank of Taiwan’s exchange rate .

   Furthermore, the NTD$160,000 monthly salary refers to salary ‘before tax’. Bank receipts from your account balance, cryptocurrency, funds (as in pension funds, welfare funds, etc.), stocks, property income, etc. cannot be used as proof.

2. The employment contract of your intended future employment in the ROC (the starting date of the employment contract must be more than 1 month after the Gold Card application.) Your employment must be based in the ROC, Taiwanese companies and multinational companies in Taiwan are both acceptable.

If you are required to attach proof of domestic or foreign service, you will have to provide a Certificate of Employment (or Proof of Resignation) with your full name, company’s name, position, actual duration of employment, and company’s stamp, seal, or signature. You may refer to the samples below. Please note that the company name on your Certificate of Employment (or Proof of Resignation) must be consistent with the company name on your Tax Return.

The salary requirement as stated relates to salary and not income in total.

Most recent monthly salary of at least NT$160,000 means a monthly salary or average monthly salary of NT$160,000 or above within the three years preceding the month of the application; documentary proof of salary or tax payment means one of the following:

1. Salary withholding certification or tax certification. But if such certification cannot be presented owing to provisions of tax law, it may, after explanation of the tax law provisions preventing its presentation, be replaced by employer’s certification (i.e. Australia PAYG payment summary, Canada T4, Israel 106 form, Russia 2-NDFL, Poland PIT-11, UK P60, US W-2).
2. The employment contract of intended future employment in the ROC.

When you apply for the Gold Card, please fill in the UI number printed on your ARC. If the National Immigration Agency approves your Gold Card application, the system will automatically cancel your ARC.

If your documents are issued by the following countries/regions, additional verification is needed: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bengal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cuba, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Laos, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia. However, there are some exceptions:

1. If you are part of a multinational corporations and have been sent to work at a branch office or subsidiary in Taiwan, your proof of work experience (provided by the head office or branch) does not need to be be authenticated.
2. If you are employed in academic research, and your academic qualifications are from a foreign university or independent college recognized by the government of Taiwan, you do not need to have your academic qualification and work experience documents authenticated.(Refer to “Qualifications and Criteria Standards for foreigners undertaking the jobs specified under Article 46.1.1 to 46.1.6 of the Employment Service Act”(hereinafter this Act) Article 4 Paragraph 1 Subparagraph 11)
3. If you were a foreign exchange students, overseas students, or other ethnic Chinese students who has graduated from a public or accredited private college or university in Taiwan and are looking to undertake specialized or technical work, your employer does not need to have your documents authenticated in accordance with Article 5-1 of this Act.

The official statement can be seen HERE.

Documents issued in the Mainland area have to be attested and examined by the institutions instituted or appointed by the Executive Yuan, or non-governmental organizations entrusted by the Executive Yuan (Strait Exchange Foundation) following the rule in Article 7 of “Act Governing Relations between Peoples of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area.” Please click HERE for more information.

If the documents were issued in Mainland China, they must be verified by an institution established or designated by the Executive Yuan, or by a private organization commissioned by the Executive Yuan (e.g. the Strait Exchange Foundation) in accordance with Article 7 of the “Regulations on Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area”. The procedure for verification of Mainland documents is further explained at: Application Process for Document Authentication

Please contact the Straits Exchange Foundation for more information.

• Phone Number：02-21757000
• Fax：02-21757070
• E-mail：service@sef.org.tw
• Straits Exchange Foundation Website

If the provided documents are not in English or Chinese, please attach a translation to English or Chinese. If you wish, you may translate the documents by yourself and attach the original documents.

Please note that once you have submitted your application, you can no longer upload any additional documents unless you are required to do so by the relevant authorities reviewing your application. If you receive notification to upload additional documents, please do so in a timely manner.

Case Status Check → The List of Supplemental Documents → View → Modify → Upload Document

1. Please update all required supplementary information or documents on the application portal within 30-days of receiving the National Immigration Agency’s notification to provide additional documents (the update period is 6 months for applicants who must obtain additional documents abroad). If you upload your documents on the Gold Card application portal before the deadline, there will be no extra fee. If you do not submit your supplementary documents within 6 months, your application will be directly rejected by the Workforce Development Agency and you will not be refunded.
2. Please check your current application status on the system. If your application is still under review, you must wait until the competent authority returns your application until you can take further action.
3. Please confirm that you have uploaded the correct documents. (Currently, the preview option only shows your old documents, so please ignore the preview option, click “Next Step” continuously, then click “Send” to submit)
4. If you are asked to provide supplementary documents, but the validity period of your passport is less than 6 months, you will need to apply for a new passport. After you receive your new passport, you need to fill in your new passport number and validity period on the application platform. Please select your passport validity period by clicking on the calendar icon as shown in the photo(s) below.

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Case Status Check → The List of Supplemental Documents → View → Modify → Profession

(Please confirm that you have uploaded the correct documents. Currently, the preview option only shows your old documents, so please ignore the preview option, click “Next Step” continuously, then click “Send” to submit)

If you switch to a new Field or regulation, or there are new regulations for the Field of the previous application, the platform will not be able to transfer your documents from your previous application.

Please review in detail the regulations in each of the Fields and pay attention in particular to the notes on the required documents. Most people are better off choosing the regulation that they can provide the most proof and documents for.

If the relevant authority that is reviewing your application finds that your documents are insufficient, they will return your application and request additional documents. At this time, you can choose to submit additional documents or to change to another Field. However, if the relevant authority believes that your chances are low, they also have the ability to reject your application instead of returning it.

Since you are now in Taiwan, you will be exempted from verifying your passport overseas and your application will be reviewed by the National Immigration Agency, Ministry of the Interior. Please refer to this FAQ to see how to update your passport inspection location information.

If your Gold Card application is approved, you can print out your Resident Authorization for Overseas Applicants (found under the download section of the application portal) and present it upon entering Taiwan. After entering Taiwan, please bring your Resident Authorization for Overseas Applicants, electronic payment receipt (also found under the download section of the application portal), and your passport to your selected National Immigration Agency (NIA) service center to pick up your Gold Card.

NIA is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 17:00 through the lunch hour, please refer to the link to find your chosen NIA service center: https://www.immigration.gov.tw/5475/5478/141386/127061/127076/

You can still enter Taiwan, but you must present your new and old passport, and Resident Authorization Certificate.

Please also remember to update your new passport number through the online application platform after you pick up your Gold Card.

Login to the Foreign Professionals Online Application Platform → Application → Apply to Change Passport Inspection or Card Collection Location.

Please note that:

1. The passport inspection and pick-up location can be changed on the online platform before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) finishes reviewing your application. If you want to change to enter Taiwan with a visa for domestic inspection, you need to change the passport inspection location after entering Taiwan. If you have not entered Taiwan, but chose to undergo domestic inspection, your application will be returned due to the lack of entry documents.

2. After you pass the MOFA’s review, you can no longer change the passport inspection or pick-up location.

3. It is not possible to change the location of the overseas passport inspection to Taiwan during or before the review stage of the Workforce Development Agency.

   

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You must physically be in Taiwan if you want someone to pick up your Gold Card for you. If you cannot pick up your Gold Card personally, you can have a friend or family member pick it up for you. That person will have to bring the following to pick up your card:

1. Their ID/ARC
2. Your Application Receipt
3. Your Resident Authorization Certificate (You must present your Resident Authorization Certificate when entering Taiwan. If you apply domestically and ask someone else to pick up your Gold Card, it is not required.)
4. Photocopy of your Passport
5. An Affidavit written by you stating that you have authorized this person to pick up your Gold Card for you.

Please refer to attached instructions to download your application receipt and resident authorization certificate.

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Should you have any concerns about pickup process, please contact your local National Immigration Agency’s service center .

Please log into the Online Application Portal , go to the Download Menu –> select Download the R.O.C (Taiwan) Resident Authorization for Overseas Applicants and Receipt Download. Next, print out your R.O.C. Resident Authorization Certificate in color to use it for entering Taiwan, then bring the Resident Authorization Certificate, receipt, and your passport to pick up your physical card at your designated National Immigration Agency Service Center days of entering Taiwan.

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If you are applying for a Gold Card overseas for the first time and do not have a Taiwanese address, you can leave this question blank. However, you must update your address on the application platform within 30 days of moving into your new house.

Gold Card applicants from these designated countries will be asked by the overseas missions of the R.O.C. to provide Letter of Guarantee for Visa Application to the Republic of China.

Login to the Foreign Professionals Online Application Platform → Case Status Check → Preview → Location of Collection

Please refer to THIS link for the list of National Immigration Agency’s Service Centers

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Please contact the Ministry that is currently reviewing your application and ask them to return your application so you can edit your passport number.

For example, if your application status is Review by the Workforce Development Agency (WDA), please ask the WDA to return your application so you can edit your passport number on the application portal.

If your application status is Passport Inspection at the Bureau of Consular Affairs or Overseas Missions of R.O.C. (Taiwan), please ask BOCA or the Overseas Mission to return your application and so you can edit your passport number on the application portal.

To update your passport information, you need to fill in your new passport number and validity period on the application platform. Please select your passport validity period by clicking on the calendar icon as shown in the photo(s) below.

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