National Immigration Agency has launched the "Expanded Overstayers Voluntary Departure Program" from February 1st to June 30th this year to urge foreigners who have overstayed because of the epidemic in Taiwan return to their home country as soon as possible. During the program's propaganda at the NIA Pingtung County Service Center, 43 overstayers have come to self-report. NIA Pingtung County Service Center also sent a mobile service train to Donggang and the fishing port for publicity in order to raise awareness of this initiative.
Mr. Chen, who runs an Indonesian restaurant in Donggang, is a second-generation immigrant. When he learned that the National Immigration Agency came to Donggang to propaganda, he gathered the more than 30 migrant fisherman friends who often dine in the restaurant to participate Because of his fluency in both Chinese and Indonesian, Mr. Chen is frequently sought out for assistance by Indonesian migrant workers and fishermen in Donggang. National Immigration Agency is pushing for the “Expanded Overstayers Voluntary Departure Program” and "lenient punishment" for those who self-report during the program period, enacting policies like exempting them from detention, requiring them to pay a minimum fine of NT$ 2,000, and allowing them to enter the country for an undetermined amount of time without being barred.
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NIA Pingtung County Service Center sent mobile service train to Donggang, propagandas "Expanded Overstayers Voluntary Departure Program."Photo provided by NIA Pingtung County Service Center
At the propaganda, ACHMAD MUDZAKIR, the chairman of FOSPI, also took part. The majority of overseas fisherman, according to him, work at sea and frequently decide to cut off communication for concerns like salary or employers and dare to self-report for the concerns that they will not be able to come to Taiwan again.
The director (武淑賢) of the NIA Pingtung County Service Center, said that in order to prevent the overstaying immigrants from receiving wrong information, and to help migrant workers or fishing workers in rural areas to obtain complete information, the Service Center planned to send mobile service train to propaganda on the wharf allows fisherman friends who have questions to get answers immediately.
Read more: Overstayers self-report for reduced penalty! Let NIA help you home!
NIA Pingtung County Service Center sent mobile service train to Donggang, propagandas "Expanded Overstayers Voluntary Departure Program."Photo provided by NIA Pingtung County Service Center
National Immigration Agency has also set up a special free consultation hotline 0800-024-881 and 049-2246810 of NIA Nantou County specialized corps, which provides multilingual services. Migrant workers and foreigners who have overstayed are welcome to use this hotline for consultation.
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