Women who have been out of the workforce for a long period and face difficulties returning to work will receive expanded support. Taiwan's Ministry of Labor has revised the “Women's Return-to-Work Program,” with comprehensive adjustments to eligibility, incentive mechanisms, and employer support, lowering thresholds and increasing subsidies to help more women re-enter employment.
Since its launch in September 2023, the program has helped more than 90,000 women return to work through personalized employment services, self-directed training, and re-employment incentives. The latest revision relaxes eligibility requirements by removing the restriction that applicants must have left work for family reasons; anyone who has been out of work for more than 180 days can apply.
The incentive mechanism has been changed to phased payments. Previously, NT$30,000 was granted after 90 days of employment; this has been adjusted to NT$10,000 for every 30 days of employment, up to a maximum of NT$60,000. If a participant changes jobs within a short period, they can still qualify for incentives as long as they are re-employed within 60 days and complete 30 days of work, increasing flexibility.
The “Employer Working Hours Adjustment Incentive” has been revised to the “Workplace Support and Guidance Incentive,” encouraging employers to provide flexible working hours, family support, and training. The subsidy has been increased to NT$5,000 per month, for up to 12 months.
For skills development, the “Self-Training Incentive” now requires a minimum of 8 training hours to reflect the investment in learning.
