Remote working in Asia? Taiwan extends digital nomad visa plans to one year

Taiwan is revising the launch details of its digital nomad visa, which was originally planned to permit six month stays.

The areas of Hualien, Taitung, Tainan, and Pingtung are all keen to welcome digital nomads, National Development Council (NDC) Minister Paul Liu said.

He highlighted that the Taiwanese government will be offering its new digital nomad residents help with support innovation and creativity.

Taiwan is just one of many East Asian countries offering digital nomad visas in a bid to attract professional talent from overseas.

When will Taiwan's digital nomad visa launch?

It's still not confirmed when the new visa will be launched.

For now, EU visitors who wish to visit Taiwan can enter on a visa-free entry or on a tourist visa that allows stays of up to three months, however no one is permitted to work.

Part of the country's new plans will be to make it easier for skilled and high-earning foreign workers to gain permanent residence in Taiwan.

Taiwan is hoping to attract 100,000 remote workers under the scheme, with a goal of allowing 10,000 workers the chance to obtain an 'Employment Gold Card' after the one-year visa expires.

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How can Taiwan's visa combine with Japan and South Korea?

Taiwan is working closely with the Japanese cities of Osaka and Fukuoka and South Korea to ensure any plans complement existing digital nomad visas.

This means that remote workers could visit Taiwan after stays elsewhere in East Asia.

Japan launched its existing non-extendable six-month digital nomad visa in March 2024, which is available to 49 countries and territories, including EU member states.

Tokyo is just a three-and-a-half hour flight from Taiwan's capital, Taipei.

In a bid to boost tourism, South Korea launched a digital nomad visa in January 2024, which is valid for one-year with the potential to extend for a further 12 months.

The flight from capital Seoul to Taipei is under three hours.

Thailand is already seeing huge demand in its five-year digital nomad visa which launched in July 2024, as remote workers seek out its buzzing capital and pristine beaches.

Bangkok is just fours hours from Taipei by plane.

What does Taiwan have to offer digital nomads?

From its subtropical climate and beautiful beaches to its lush national parks and vast culture, including thousands of temples, there are plenty of reasons to work from Taiwan.

This small country is about half the size of Scotland, making getting around a breeze.

This means you could clock hours in one of Taipei’s lively coworking spaces in the morning and fill up on tasty street food for lunch before heading to Yangmingshan National Park - just 30 minutes away - for a scenic hike.

Exploring further afield is easy, too, as Taiwan’s high-speed railway connects the capital to the southern harbour city of Kaohsiung.

Taiwan is one of the safest countries in the world for LGBTQ+ travellers, and scores highly on anti-discrimination legislation and transgender rights. It became the first country in the region to legalise same-sex marriage in 2019.