TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Tourism Administration (觀光署) has broadened eligibility requirements for foreign student internships in the hospitality sector, officials announced on Monday (July 14). The expanded criteria now welcome students studying sports and leisure, management, Chinese, or English to apply for tourism industry positions across the island. This policy adjustment responds to critical staffing shortages in Taiwan's tourism sector, which currently faces between 5,000 and 6,000 unfilled positions as the industry rebounds from pandemic-era restrictions.
The newly revised "Guidelines for Applications for Foreign Interns Working in Tourist Hospitality and Hotel Industry in Taiwan" (觀光旅館業及旅館業申請外國籍學生來中華民國實習要點) have taken immediate effect, marking a significant policy shift. The updated regulations focus on three key areas: broadening the range of eligible academic majors, streamlining application procedures, and imposing stricter oversight requirements on businesses hosting interns. This represents a substantial expansion from previous rules that limited internship opportunities exclusively to students specializing in hospitality, catering, or tourism-related fields.
Officials from the Tourism Administration reported that approximately 700 international students have already submitted applications under the internship program since January. The agency has implemented verification measures to prevent misuse of the system, requiring applicants to be enrolled in educational institutions officially recognized by Taiwan's Ministry of Education (教育部). Prospective interns must also demonstrate completion of at least one academic semester at their home institution before becoming eligible for placement in Taiwan's tourism sector.
The guidelines mandate that businesses hosting international interns must secure comprehensive insurance coverage for participants throughout their stay in Taiwan. Tourism Administration officials retain authority to terminate internship arrangements and impose application restrictions on companies found violating program guidelines. Taiwan's Ministry of Labor (勞動部) has issued a clarification emphasizing that these positions are classified strictly as educational internships rather than employment, placing them outside the ministry's regulatory jurisdiction. ◼