TAIPEI (The China Post) — The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC, 中央流行疫情指揮中心) re-opened Taiwan’s borders to Indonesian migrant workers on Thursday after a 6-month hiatus.
According to details released by the CECC, migrant workers need to undergo PCR testing 72 hours prior to boarding their flights and need to quarantine in their own rooms in the meantime as well.
In addition, the Indonesian government also needs to provide a list of at least 50 PCR testing corporations and gain the approval of the CECC to ensure the quality of the PCR tests.
The CECC also requires the government overseas to verify the virus-prevention measures of the broker agencies there, including making sure that migrant workers don’t exceed half of the dorms’ capacity.
They should also be quarantined in separate rooms prior to flying to Taiwan, the CECC said, adding that the Indonesian government should verify all relevant documents first before passing them over to the representative office overseas.
After the migrant workers arrive, they need to undergo another PCR test and stay at a centralized quarantine center for 14 days.
They will be tested again when their quarantine periods end; if the test results come back negative, they will go on to practice self-health management for 7 days.
To prevent a possible spread of the virus, employers are required by the Ministry of Labor (MOL, 勞動部) to have a designated place for workers to stay in during this period.
Migrant workers will also need to undergo another PCR test during their self-health management period.
The MOL also requires employers of migrant workers to pay additional commercial health insurances (商業醫療保險) that can cover up to NT$500,000 of their medical expenses in the event migrant workers test positive for COVID-19 in Taiwan.
An“accumulated points system” (積分制) will be used to determine the entry order of migrant workers, the CECC said, and as of present time, 1,700 beds at government-run quarantine centers have been made available to the arrivals.
However, starting from Dec. 14 to Feb. 14, 2022, the arrival of migrant workers may be halted again as the CECC anticipates the return of many Taiwanese overseas who wish to come back for the Chinese New Year holiday.