After six months, she was fired and had to go home. She is now trying to return to Taiwan so that she can pay off her debt to a broker. Stories of overseas workers being mistreated in their host countries are nothing new. Many of the agencies are suspected of being in league with corrupt government officials. Since Taiwan approved the import of foreign labor in 1989, it has become a target destination for a growing number of Southeast Asians seeking better job opportunities.
Restrictions are rigid.
Foreigners can work only in manufacturing, construction, shipping or as domestic helpers or caregivers. But strong demand has not made Taiwan a job-seeker's paradise. Instead, it has strengthened the hand of the brokers, who put workers in touch with employers. Such excessive fees are illegal in Taiwan and in countries such as Thailand and the Philippines, but the laws have had little effect on the brokers' activities. In defense of his industry, Steve Kuan, chairman of the Taipei Association of Manpower Agencies, says that part of the reason for rising costs is employer greed.