In a recent visit to the British restaurant "Britshake," Minister of the Interior Lin Yu-Chang commended the modifications made to Taiwan's immigration restrictions, aimed at fostering a vibrant multicultural society.
During the visit, Minister Lin engaged in a culinary experience alongside Miss Amy, a British immigrant and the chef of Britshake, who fluently conversed in Chinese. As they prepared Scotch Eggs and scones together, Miss Amy eagerly shared her knowledge of British culture. The highlight of the event came when Minister Lin presented Miss Amy with the Permanent Resident Card (APRC). Overflowing with joy, she expressed her deep affection for Taiwan and appreciation for its pleasant climate, friendly people, and well-established healthcare and welfare systems. She expressed her thrill at receiving the APRC, declaring proudly, "It is great to be Taiwanese!"
Minister Lin clarified that the APRC holds permanent validity for foreigners. Henceforth, Miss Amy will no longer need to visit the service department of National Immigration Agency (NIA) to extend her residence permit. Previously, foreign APRC holders were required to stay in Taiwan for over 183 days per year. However, with the recent update, foreigners with APRC are now only required to maintain an "average" stay of 183 days per year within the past five years. Minister Lin emphasized that this change aims to provide greater convenience to foreign residents and "welcome more immigrants to happily become Taiwanese."
NIA carries out the annual "Caring for Immigrants, delivering Love at Home" project. As part of this initiative, the "Car to Care for Immigrant" made its maiden voyage this year on June 12th. Minister Lin Yu-Chang, accompanied by NIA Director Bill Chung, chose Amy's restaurant in Tamsui District, New Taipei City, as their first destination.
Amy, a British national who has been married to a Taiwanese for 14 years, has dedicated herself to establishing a British cuisine career. Graduating with top honors from the Lincoln School of Catering in the UK at the age of 19, Amy and her husband Deng Zi-Yi initially started a small food truck, selling milkshakes and baked potatoes by the roadside. Their vision was to offer good food at fair prices for everyone. After persistent efforts, they opened Taiwan's first traditional British cuisine restaurant "Britshake" in Tamsui District in 2011, followed by a branch in Taipei's Xinyi District in 2019.
Minister Lin explained that due to cultural differences and language barriers, many immigrants in Taiwan require assistance and support. To address this, the Taiwanese government has established the Foreigner-Specific Hotline "1990" to ensure that those in need can access accurate information on living in Taiwan.
In its pursuit of attracting outstanding foreign talents to Taiwan, the government is dedicated to building a welcoming and convenient immigration environment. Measures have been implemented to simplify the residence application process for immigrants, ease residence regulations for foreign professionals, their spouses, and children, and create a friendly international living environment within Taiwan. The ultimate goal is to attract exceptional talents from all over the world to work and reside in Taiwan.