“78% of female migrant workers in Taiwan end jobs after becoming pregnant”

Nearly 80% of migrant workers terminated their contracts after becoming pregnant in 2023.

According to statistics from the Health Promotion Administration, about 6,000 migrant workers in Taiwan become pregnant every year. However, many are pressured to resign by employers and brokers after becoming pregnant, per UDN.

Data from the Bureau of Labor Insurance shows that nearly 78% of industrial migrant workers who receive maternity benefits terminate their contracts and return to their home countries…

In 2022, the Control Yuan issued an investigative report calling on the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Health and Welfare to improve maternity protections for migrant workers. However, two and a half years later, challenges safeguarding their reproductive rights remain…

Xiaomi, who worked in a factory in Taoyuan for five years, shared her story with UDN….

When she refused an X-ray, her labor broker realized that she was pregnant and angrily accused her of breaking a prior employment agreement…

Migrant workers are protected under Taiwan’s Gender Equality in Employment Act…

Despite these protections, some employers, concerned about the potential inconvenience caused by pregnancy or postnatal care, collaborate with brokers to "legally" persuade workers to resign.