Taiwan Could Be Your Next Destination for Remote Tech Talent

For a long time, Taiwan’s talent pool has flown under the radar. But with emerging tech hubs and highly educated workers, Taiwan has firmly positioned itself as the new destination for companies hiring internationally.

This article breaks down the main reasons you should consider hiring your next remote team member from Taiwan. You’ll also get details on how to hire Taiwanese talent compliantly, without setting up your own local entity.

Why Hire Remote Talent in Taiwan?

For tech companies, Taiwan offers an up-and-coming talent pool that the likes of Google and Microsoft have already begun investing in. Here’s why you should too:

Highly Educated Candidates

Taiwan offers a highly educated, tech-minded talent pool:

• Over 45% of the population aged 15 and above hold a technical college or university degree.
• More than 25% of Taiwan’s university degrees are in engineering.
• There are over 10,000 computer science and IT graduates every year.

The local government also has several initiatives to support the development of future talent, including a series of long-term investments in higher education and a four-year plan to nurture digital talent.

The Ministry of Science and Technology also provides funding for institutions targeting sectors such as information and digital technology, biotech and medical technology, cybersecurity, and renewable energy.

Linguistic Advantages

While Taiwan doesn’t boast the levels of English fluency found in areas like Singapore or Hong Kong, the government’s ambitious Bilingual Nation 2030 policy aims to significantly improve proficiency and “boost the competitiveness of Taiwan’s young generation.”

However, English isn’t the main linguistic asset Taiwanese talent has to offer; that would be Mandarin. With almost a billion speakers worldwide, Taiwan’s official language is advantageous for any global business looking to expand and grow its addressable market.

Emerging Taiwan Tech Hubs

With a strong reputation for technological innovation, Taiwan has become a popular hub for some of the world’s largest tech companies, including Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and IBM.

The training and development of local Taiwanese talent has and continues to be a key investment strategy for these businesses. For example, Google is offering large stipends and mentoring programs for computer science students, while Microsoft aims to provide digital skills training for over 200,000 people by 2024.

It’s also worth noting Taiwan’s local tech start-up industry is booming. It already has three unicorns ($1B company valuation), including Gogoro, 91APP, and Appier. Google Taiwan’s former director Dr. Lee-Feng Chien predicts further growth stating that “Taiwan’s capital market has started paying attention to [the] digital economy.”

The growing Taiwan tech scene leads the way for other international businesses and start-ups like yours to create attractive job opportunities for local talent to learn and grow. And now is the opportune time to get in on the action.

Omnipresent Makes Talent Hiring in Taiwan Simple

One of the biggest barriers to hiring remote talent in Taiwan is navigating the complex local labor laws and regulations. If you get it wrong, non-compliance can incur substantial fines and penalties for your business.

Fortunately, Omnipresent’s tech-enabled Employer of Record (EOR) solution makes it easy to hire Taiwanese workers compliantly. You don’t have to establish your own foreign subsidiary or take the risk of hiring independent contractors.

By legally employing talent on your behalf, Omnipresent takes care of all related administrative duties, including:

• Drawing up compliant employment contracts.
• Onboarding.
• Managing payroll (including Taiwan’s customary 13th and 14th month pay cycle).
• Providing benefits packages.
• Offboarding.!