Q: What is proof of service for domestic or overseas employment?
A: If you need to upload proof of service for domestic or overseas employment, this refers to a certificate of employment or termination. The document should include your name, company name, job title, actual employment start and end dates, as well as relevant seals and signatures from the issuing authority. You can refer to the sample "Certificate of Employment.pdf."
Please note that the company name on your certificate of employment or termination must match the company name on your tax documentation. If you are a freelancer or self-employed, you may issue your proof of service, specifying your work details, clients, and duration.
Q: How can I meet the salary requirements for the Employment Gold Card application?
A: If you wish to apply under the salary criteria, please provide the following documents:
- Personal resume.
- Proof of service for domestic or overseas employment. This should include a certificate of employment or termination containing your name, company name, job title, and actual employment start and end dates, as well as relevant seals and signatures.
If applying under the salary criteria, you must provide a personal resume and proof of employment from domestic or international services. (Image / Courtesy of Taiwan Employment Gold Card Office website)
In addition to the above, you must provide at least one of the following:
- Tax certification for one of the last three years, proving an average monthly salary exceeding NTD 160,000 (e.g., Australian PAYG payment summary, Canadian T4, Israeli Form 106, Russian Form 2-NDFL, Polish PIT-11, UK P60, or US W-2).
- If you are exempt from filing taxes or do not have tax documents due to the timing of tax filing, please explain with supporting evidence (e.g., official tax authority documentation or regulations) along with an employer-issued proof of service that specifies the work period, job details, and actual salary received.
- If you are exempt from filing taxes or do not have tax documents due to the timing of tax filing, please explain with supporting evidence (e.g., official tax authority documentation or regulations) along with an employer-issued proof of service that specifies the work period, job details, and actual salary received.
If your annual salary reaches NTD 1.92 million, qualifying income includes salary, wages, allowances, bonuses, dividends, and subsidies. However, travel allowances, per diem, and overtime pay required for the employer’s purposes and within regulated limits are excluded.
- You can choose any tax return from the three years preceding the application date for the Gold Card. The Workforce Development Agency (WDA) will divide your annual salary by 12 months to calculate whether your average monthly salary meets the NTD 160,000 threshold.
- Foreign currency salary calculation: If your salary is in foreign currency, the WDA will use the cash buying rate on the application review date or during the employment period to calculate if it meets the NTD 160,000 threshold, based on the exchange rates from the Bank of Taiwan.
- A monthly salary of NTD 160,000 refers to pre-tax income. Assets such as bank accounts, cryptocurrencies, stocks, and mutual funds cannot be used as evidence.
If your annual salary has been adjusted to meet the monthly average of NTD 160,000 but the tax filing deadline has not yet passed, you can provide the following supporting documents:
- The most recent tax return shows a salary below NTD 160,000.
- A salary adjustment letter issued by your company.
- An annual salary statement issued by your company.
Q: Does my professional service income/self-employment/dividend income count towards the salary requirement for the Gold Card application?
A: No, the salary criteria refer specifically to salary income, not other types of income.
Recent monthly salaries of at least NTD 160,000 can be proven with one of the following documents:
- A one-year withholding certificate or official tax documentation. If tax laws prevent you from obtaining such documents, you may submit an employer-issued certificate after explaining the relevant tax regulations.
- A future employment contract in Taiwan with a starting date of at least one month after applying for the Gold Card.
Q: What documents are required if I hold a residence permit and am applying for the Gold Card?
A: When applying for the Gold Card, provide the unified ID number on your current residence permit. The Immigration Agency will automatically cancel your existing residence permit once the Gold Card is approved.
Q: Do my documents need embassy verification?
A: If your documents are issued in certain countries (e.g., Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cuba, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Laos, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Syria, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, or Indonesia), they must be verified by the relevant Taiwanese embassy. However, verification is not required in the following cases:
- The foreign national works for a multinational company and has been transferred to a branch or subsidiary in Taiwan.
- The foreign national is employed for academic research under-recognized qualifications in Taiwan.
- The foreign national graduated from a public or accredited private university in Taiwan and is employed in a specialized or technical field as outlined in regulations.
For more details on document verification requirements, please refer to this link.
If the document is issued in Mainland China, it must be authenticated by an organization established or designated by the Executive Yuan or an entrusted private organization in accordance with the "Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area." Please refer to this link for relevant regulations.
