The passage of the Act Governing Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals is a missed opportunity to resolve problems involving unpaid foreign artists coming to Taiwan as part of cultural exchanges. If the government is serious about galvanizing Taiwan’s cultural economy, a focused discussion that addresses problems with the country’s tax system is required, writes Julia Chien.
The News Lens
Date: 2017/11/03
By: Julia Chien
Taiwan’s white-collar foreign community may be dancing in the streets over
Photo Credit：REUTERS/達志影像
the passage of the Act Governing Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals (外國專業人才延攬及雇用法) through the Legislative Yuan on Oct. 31, but Taiwan’s artistic community remains underwhelmed.
The bone of contention is that the Act fails to address a longstanding legal gray area involving the difference between foreign artistic labor and unpaid cultural and artistic exchanges.
The issue has come under the spotlight this year, with Taiwanese artists hit with hefty fines for failing to obtain permits, and their foreign counterparts summarily deported. Moreover, a lack of interest in the issue from government speaks to a reluctance to engage over how to galvanize Taiwan’s cultural economy. [FULL STORY]