The National Immigration Agency and Chia Yi County Government visit and promote the strengthening of Covid-19 prevention measures for migrant workers.
The National Immigration Agency Chiayi Country Brigade puts up a multi-lingual poster at the entrance of the migrant workers’ dormitory with the Covid-19 level 3 alert extension and other Covid-19 prevention measures. Photo/Provided by National Immigration Department Chiayi Service Station
Following the Covid-19 outbreak in Taiwan’s major electronics factories, and to lower the risk of migrant workers’ infections, the National Immigration Agency Chiayi County Service Station and the Chiayi County Special Duty Team have jointly launched a Covid-19 prevention program. Together with the Chiayi County Government Labor and Youth Development Department, they took the initiative to visit the migrant workers’ dormitories, to understand the Covid-19 prevention practices and needs of migrant workers. They set up multi-language posters with pictures to guide and inform the migrant workers on how to join Covid-19 prevention apps such as "Migrant Care"(移管家) and "E-LINE” (Line@移點通) to receive the government's Covid information in real time. Aside from understanding the migrant workers’ way of life and Covid-19 prevention practices by the manpower agencies and the employers, it also informs the migrant workers and employers to get covid tested in case there is a history of contact with an infected person or if there are covid symptoms. The migrant workers are told not to worry about residency permit expiration but rather, they are told to reduce outdoor activities, to concentrate on covid prevention measures, and to avoid covid prevention loopholes.
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The National Immigration Agency Chiayi County Service Station, Chiayi Country Special Duty Team and the Chiayi County Government Labor and Youth Development Department set up a multi-lingual poster of the Covid-19 level 3 alert extension and other Covid-19 prevention measures outside a convenience store in Mei Shan Town, Chiayi County. Photo/Provided by National Immigration Agency Chiayi County Service Station
The main objective of migrant workers’ covid prevention is for the manpower agencies and the factories to manage the workers’ dormitories and the number of workers employed and to implement the government’s covid-19 prevention measures. According to the statistics of the Chiayi County Government, there are more than 580 dormitories in the county for migrant workers, of which two dormitories have more than 100 people and have been listed for inspection and investigation. The Youth and Labor Department of the Chiayi County Government will continue to inspect dormitories with more than 30 people. Together with the National Immigration Agency, it has also promoted measures to automatically extend the validity of the residency permits of migrant workers whose validity is about to expire, by 30 days. Through visits and promotions, Covid prevention awareness of migrant workers will be strengthened and will be able to meet the government's pandemic prevention requirements.
Manpower agency person-in-charge, Li Chien-Lung (李建隆) said that the management of migrant workers’ dormitories have improved. Aside from disallowing group gatherings, mandatory wearing of face masks outside, providing alcohol for disinfection and body temperature checks, and having a designated staff to confirm and monitor their health condition, a cleaning company is also hired to do major weekly cleaning. To meet the employers’ requirements, multi-language covid prevention measures are also provided at the factories.
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Lin Ping-Huang (林炳煌), director of the Chiayi County Service Station, said that, in special cooperation with the local labor department authorities to conduct inspections and strengthen awareness, it is hoped Covid-19 prevention work for migrant workers will be implemented so that migrant workers in Chiayi County can live through this pandemic safely. Lin Ping-Huang also announced that the Immigration Department is now promoting the "Safe Testing and Covid Prevention Project for Foreigners”. During the period of the project, migrants with suspected symptoms of infection are encouraged to go to screening stations or hospitals for testing as soon as possible. For overstaying migrants, the National Immigration Agency will assist with covid testing based on the principle of "no charge, no reporting, no investigation and no punishment," and migrants should not worry about being investigated and punished by the authorities. This is to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
