Taiwan needs Filipino caregivers

A rapidly aging population in Taiwan will need more Filipino caregivers, a recruitment industry organization said Monday.

The Pilipino Manpower Agencies Accredited to Taiwan (Pilmat) said the decline in births on the island would result in a negative population growth and more senior citizens by 2016.

Pilmat president Jackson Gan said the effects of Taiwan’s growing number of senior citizens were reflected in the deployment of caregivers in previous years.

Citing figures from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Gan said that in 2010, a total of 6,184 caregivers were deployed to Taiwan compared to 5,942 in 2009. He said he expected the 2011 figures to be higher.

Last week, the Taiwanese parliament passed a bill extending the length of stay of foreign workers from nine to 12 years to meet the growing demand for caregivers from the island’s aging population. Jerome Aning