Q: When my status changes from an Employment Gold Card holder to a Permanent Resident, what rights do I obtain?
A: Your original rights remain unchanged:

★ No requirement to be employed by a specific employer.
★ Visa for visiting relatives.
★ Family-dependent residency.
★ Eligibility for National Health Insurance (NHI).

Additional rights obtained with permanent residency:

★ No need to apply for a work permit.
★ Family members applying for permanent residency only require three years of residency, and no financial proof is needed.
★ Adult children meeting certain residency requirements may apply for an individual work permit.
★ Eligible for the new labor pension system. If working as a teacher or researcher, you may choose to receive either a lump-sum pension or a monthly pension.

Q: Can Hong Kong and Macau Employment Gold Card holders apply for permanent residency?
A: Under current regulations, Employment Gold Card holders from Hong Kong and Macau are not eligible for permanent residency.

Note:

According to Articles 16 and 29 of the Regulations on Entry and Residency Permits for Hong Kong and Macau Residents in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau residents may apply for residency in Taiwan only if they meet the conditions of Article 29.

If you have any questions regarding residency or settlement in Taiwan, please contact the Mainland Affairs Council's Taiwan-Hong Kong Service and Exchange Office.

Q: Can my permanent residency be revoked?
A: According to Article 19 of the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals and Article 33 of the Immigration Act, the National Immigration Agency may revoke your permanent residency permit and cancel your Alien Permanent Resident Certificate (APRC) under the following conditions:

★ Absence from Taiwan for more than five consecutive years without re-entry.
★ Providing false or misleading application information.
★ Using illegally obtained, forged, or altered documents.
★ Receiving a prison sentence of at least one year (excluding unintentional crimes).
★ Regaining ROC (Taiwan) nationality.
★ Obtaining ROC nationality.
★ Hold dual nationality with ROC.
★ Being deported from Taiwan.

Q: If I do not apply for an extension before my Gold Card expires, will it affect my permanent residency eligibility?
A: If you fail to apply for an extension before your Gold Card expires, you will have to reapply instead of extending your existing Gold Card.

Reapplying for a new Gold Card means that the approval date will not be continuous with your previous Gold Card's expiration date, interrupting your residency period, which may affect your eligibility for permanent residency.

Q: I applied for a Gold Card extension within the validity period, but my new Gold Card approval date may be after the original expiration date. Will this affect my permanent residency status?
A: If you have already submitted your Gold Card extension application, you may apply for a temporary Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) for job-seeking purposes (valid for up to 6+6 months) at the National Immigration Agency or through the Foreign Professionals Online Application Platform.

Once your Gold Card extension is approved, the new card's validity period will continue from the expiration date of your previous Gold Card, meaning there will be no interruption in your Gold Card status.American Teacher Lee Shen Has Been Teaching English in Taiwan for 37 Years, Awarded Permanent Residency Under the MacKay Program (Image / Source: National Immigration Agency Website)