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Taiwan (Republic of China) · work sponsored · Leads to settlement

Foreign Special Professional Work Permit

By · Last reviewed:

Source check: all 3 official citations reconfirmed 13 September 2026

An enhanced work-permit route under the Foreign Professionals Act for designated special professionals, allowing employment permits of up to five years and additional incentives.

Requires sponsorshipLeads to permanent residencyEmployment permit of up to five years for designated foreign professionals; renewable.
Processing time
Indicative only. The Workforce Development Agency processes the work permit with input from the relevant field authority; check current timelines on EZ Work Taiwan.
Government fees
Indicative only. Government fees apply at the work-permit and residence stages; refer to the official WDA and NIA pages for current amounts.
Typical duration
Employment permit of up to five years for designated foreign professionals; renewable.
Sponsorship required
Yes
Leads to permanent residency
Yes
Reviewed Workforce Development Agency (Taiwan) ↗

In short

As of 9 July 2026, the Foreign Special Professional Work Permit for Taiwan (Republic of China) is a sponsor-led Taiwan immigration route. Sources: official Taiwan (Republic of China) government pages, reviewed 9 July 2026.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/taiwan/foreign-special-professional-work-permit#answer

What is the Foreign Special Professional Work Permit in Taiwan (Republic of China)?

Foreign Special Professional Work Permit is a sponsor-led Taiwan route. Indicative government fees are Indicative only. Government fees apply at the work-permit and residence stages; refer to the official WDA and NIA pages for current amounts; indicative processing time is Indicative only. The Workforce Development Agency processes the work permit with input from the relevant field authority; check current timelines on EZ Work Taiwan; typical duration is Employment permit of up to five years for designated foreign professionals; renewable. This route can lead to permanent residence.

Verified against Workforce Development Agency (Taiwan) on 1 June 2026.

Overview

Foreign special professionals are foreigners with expertise in fields specifically designated by central competent authorities (such as science and technology, economy, education, culture and arts, sport, finance, law, architecture and national defense) under the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals. Compared with the standard specialized or technical work permit, designated foreign professionals can be granted an employment permit for a maximum of five years and benefit from additional relaxations. An employer can sponsor the work permit through the Workforce Development Agency; alternatively, many special professionals choose the Employment Gold Card, which serves as their work permit without a new employer application.

Eligibility

Typical criteria

Common blockers

Typical evidence

Application pathway

  1. Confirm designated-field status

    Establish that your expertise falls within a designated special-professional field and gather the competent authority required documentation.

  2. Choose the route

    Decide between an employer-sponsored special-professional work permit through the WDA or the Employment Gold Card, which acts as a work permit without an employer application.

  3. Submit the application

    For the sponsored route, the employer applies for the work permit (up to five years) through the WDA online platform.

  4. Obtain residence and maintain it

    Secure the resident visa and ARC, then maintain continuous residence toward an Alien Permanent Resident Certificate.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For Foreign Special Professional Work Permit, use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Agree the lawful start date and onboarding with the employer or sponsor. Check whether the permission names an employer, role or activity before changing the arrangement.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Official Foreign Special Professional Work Permit instructionsBuild my moving plan for this routeMoving to Taiwan

Plan the practical side of your stay

Once you have checked the official route, you can prepare for day-to-day life in Taiwan. These optional services are separate from the application and do not establish visa eligibility.

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant + sponsor
    Use official Foreign Special Professional Work Permit route page ↗

    Use this official page to confirm requirements and follow the government filing route for Foreign Special Professional Work Permit.

    Workforce Development Agency (Taiwan) · verified

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Frequently asked questions

How long can a foreign special professional work permit last?+

Designated foreign professionals can be granted an employment permit for a maximum of five years, longer than the standard specialized or technical work permit. The exact term depends on the role and the conditions set by the relevant competent authority, and permits are renewable.

Is the Employment Gold Card the same as a special professional work permit?+

They overlap. Both rest on qualifying as a foreign special professional. The Gold Card bundles the work permit with residence and is not tied to an employer, while the special-professional work permit is sponsored by a specific employer. If a special professional holds a Gold Card, it serves as their work permit without a new employer application.

If I qualify as a special professional but have no Taiwan employer, what are my options?+

The Foreign Special Professional Work Permit is employer-sponsored, so a Taiwan employer must apply for it on your behalf. If no qualifying employer is available, the Employment Gold Card may be the alternative, because it serves as your work permit without an employer application.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

Find a regulated advisor in Taiwan

How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: Workforce Development Agency (Taiwan)

Last checked: 1 June 2026

See the full evidence trail and methodology

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