How to Hire and Pay Employees in Taiwan: A Guide for Global Employers

If Taiwan isn't on your radar for expansion, it should be. The talent pool in Taipei is deep: engineers fluent in code and Mandarin, designers who can operate in Western and Eastern business worlds. But once you start digging into how to actually hire someone there, it gets complicated fast.

We break down exactly how to hire and pay employees in Taiwan-from contracts to payroll, work permits to benefits. Whether you're scaling into Taiwan for the first time or adding a new team member to your APAC operations, you'll leave with a clear path forward.

Hiring in Taiwan

Here's what to get in order before you bring someone on:

• Register a legal entity in Taiwan or partner with an Employer of Record (EOR)
• Secure valid work permits and visas for foreign hires
• Create a Chinese-language employment contract that meets legal standards
• Register with Taiwan's Bureau of Labor Insurance (BLI) and National Health Insurance (NHI)
• Handle payroll registration with the Ministry of Finance

Work permits and visa considerations

For Taiwanese nationals, you're good to go. For foreign hires, it takes a bit more work. Here's the path forward:

1. Get a job offer signed and submit a work permit request to the Ministry of Labor
2. Once approved, apply for a resident visa
3. After arrival, register residency and secure an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC)

Quick heads-up: The job role you list on the application needs to match what the employee will actually do. Misalignment here is a common reason permits get delayed or denied.

For deeper guidance, check out our blog on how to get a Taiwan work visa.

Labor laws and employment contracts

All employment contracts in Taiwan must be in Traditional Chinese and comply with the Labor Standards Act. That means covering the basics like:

• Job responsibilities
• Work hours and rest days
• Pay and bonus structure
• Overtime rules
• Terms for termination

Don't forget: You have to enroll every employee-yes, even temps and probationary hires-in BLI and NHI. Skipping this step isn't just risky. It's illegal.

Structuring salary and compensation in Taiwan

Let's talk pay. In Taiwan, monthly salary is the norm, but employees are often expecting more than just 12 checks a year.

Here's a typical compensation package:

Standard wages, overtime, and social contributions

As of 2025, the minimum monthly wage in Taiwan is NT$28,590 (US$943). Most professional roles pay far more, but this sets your baseline.

Overtime is tightly regulated. You'll need written agreements and must stick to a monthly cap of 46 hours. Depending on when the work happens-weekend, holiday, night-you'll pay between 1.33x and 2x the regular rate.

Here's what you're responsible for as an employer:

• Labor Insurance: ~7.5%, mostly employer-paid
• National Health Insurance: ~5.17%, shared cost
• Labor Pension: 6% flat from employer

You'll report and remit these contributions monthly.

Paying employees

Once you've hired someone, you need to pay them-correctly, on time, and in the right currency.

The standard is local bank transfer in New Taiwan Dollars (TWD). Want to pay via a digital app like LINE Pay? That's fine for freelancers, but full-time employees should stick to traditional payroll.

Here's what else you need to handle:

• Withhold income tax at source
• Pay salaries only in TWD
• Submit social contributions and taxes monthly

Planning to pay employees from another country? Make sure you're compliant with Taiwan's foreign remittance laws. Transfers over certain amounts require documentation-and banks do check.

Practical steps for hiring and onboarding

Here's your playbook for bringing someone on in Taiwan:

1. Offer and sign a compliant employment contract in Traditional Chinese
2. Apply for a work permit if hiring a foreign employee
3. Register the hire with BLI and NHI within three days
4. Set up payroll and open local bank accounts
5. Run onboarding-and yes, provide the labor rights handbook (it's required)

Pro tip: Offer onboarding docs in both Traditional Chinese and English. It shows respect and prevents miscommunication from day one.

Tips and resources for a successful application

Hiring in a new country is a big move. Here are a few ways to make it smoother:

• Stay current on laws. Bookmark the Ministry of Labor and BLI websites.
• Customize contracts. Don't use a one-size-fits-all template. Tailor for the role.
• Build in lead time. Plan ahead because work permits can take weeks.

Taiwan talent is within reach if you get the details right

Taiwan offers smart, globally-minded professionals, and hiring them is totally doable once you understand the landscape. Get the legal stuff right, build a fair compensation package, and streamline your onboarding.

With the right process and local knowledge, you'll build a team that's ready to grow with you.

How Pebl can help

So you've found the perfect Taiwanese team, now you just need to find the local experts that will help you hire them. Labor law, payroll, benefits, compliance-it adds up quickly.

Partner with Pebl and make it easy.

Our employer of record service in Taiwan is your one-stop-shop for hiring in Taiwan and in 185+ other countries worldwide.

Whether you need one person or a whole team, we manage the red tape so you can move faster. Our country-specific local experts will handle visa sponsorship, onboarding, payroll, compliance and benefits for you-all without the burden of setting up a legal entity.

We know the rules, the forms, the timelines and we make it simple. If you want to hire in days and not months, Pebl is your perfect partner.

Contact us to learn more.

This information does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal or tax advice and is for general informational purposes only. The intent of this document is solely to provide general and preliminary information for private use. Do not rely on it as an alternative to legal, financial, taxation, or accountancy advice from an appropriately qualified professional. The content in this guide is provided "as is," and no representations are made that the content is error-free.

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