Taiwan to offer digital nomad visa

Digital nomads, you can soon work remotely from Taiwan.

National Development Council Minister Paul Liu said the council will introduce a 180-day digital nomad visa program aimed at drawing in global professionals.

"Digital nomads are those who have digital abilities to work remotely," explained Liu, who said that the number of digital nomads rose to about 35 million worldwide after the pandemic.

"They can contribute to Taiwan as tourists and consumers, and if they are attracted by the life here, they would probably want to stay for longer and might be a driving force for local enterprises," the NDC head said. He also noted that Japan, South Korea, and Thailand have already developed such policies.

In Japan, digital nomads are allowed to stay in the country for up to six months. However, this is not extendable. Liu said that with its new visa program, Taiwan can leverage its proximity to Japan to draw in people emigrating from the country.

The council intends to attract a total of 100,000 digital nomads to the country, with a goal of retaining 10,000 long-term residents, which could boost tourism and the economy, reports said.

Currently, digital nomads visiting Taiwan must rely on either visa-free entry or a standard tourist visa, which is valid for three months.

The proposed visa change can be put into effect once the Ministry of Foreign Affairs gives its approval.

Thailand's newly introduced Destination Thailand Visa, which took effect this month, grants digital nomads a 180-day stay and multiple entry privileges for five years. Meanwhile, South Korea has launched its Workation Visa this year, offering digital nomads a one-year stay with the option to extend for another year.