Labor ministry warns brokers about soliciting placement fees

Taipei, April 5 (CNA) Taiwan's Workforce Development Agency (WDA) under the Ministry of Labor (MOL) warned labor brokers that soliciting placement fees from migrant workers will be met with heavy fines and penalties in a statement Sunday.
Manpower agencies that demand placement fees or so called "job-buying fees" from migrant workers will be fined 10-20 times the illegal payments they collect, in addition to a suspension of operations for up to a year and being not allowed to renew their license when it expires, the WDA said.
Brokers are only allowed to collect registration and introduction fees from employers, the total sum of which cannot exceed the amount of the migrant workers' first month salary, the WDA said.
Meanwhile, migrant workers are encouraged to contact the ministry, local government labor departments, or the 1955 foreign workers' free telephone hotline if they are asked to pay placement fees, the WDA said.
For migrant workers who file reports, the ministry will approve employer and job changes to help them, the WDA said.

​Read more: Focus Taiwan