We organizations/individuals are calling for the revocation of the National Taiwan Administration's new regulation that all foreigners including migrant workers who would stay less than 183 days in any given year would need to pay 20% income tax starting January 2009. We deem this tax as oppressive and discriminatory and would not promote social justice as the government deems it in light of its ongoing tax reform package.

This will also negate any increase if ever in the minimum wage this year and comes at a time when the Taiwan government has decided to give monthly subsidies to low income Taiwanese families.

At present, said 20% non-refundable income tax is only implemented on those who stay for less than 183 days of the whole time that they are in Taiwan for the duration of their contract up to a maximum of three years and those who entered Taiwan after July 2nd. In essence, all migrant workers will experience this oppressive and discriminatory regulation.

The 20% non-refundable income tax will be implemented on one of the lowest paid wage earners in Taiwan society. Foreign household service workers (HSWs) receive a monthly wage of NT$15,840 even smaller than the minimum wage while migrant workers of other job categories only receive the said wage of NT$17,280.

The real wages of migrant workers is actually between NT$6,195 - NT$11,877 a month for a six year period because of various deductions on their pay. An increase in the income tax of the migrant workers would further erode this by a minimum of NT$2217 for HSW’s and NT$2497 for other job categories.

If this is not oppressive than what is it? The 20% income tax is equivalent to those who earn NT$1,090,001 – NT$2,180,000 per annum or NT$90,833 – NT$181,667 a month. This is also discriminatory as this is only applied to foreign nationals.

This proposal of the Taiwan government comes at a time that a minimum wage increase is being demanded by local workers and would benefit migrant workers covered by the Labor Standards Law. The Taiwan government has also recently approved a plan to subsidize low income Taiwanese families from NT$3,000 to NT$6,000 a month from October 2008 to March 2009. These would be given to those who earn from less than NT$140,000 – NT$300,000 a month.

We also urge our respective governments to oppose the proposal to increase our income taxes and the present one that is being implemented on us. Other than this they should also request the Taiwan government to limit all deductions on the minimum wage of the workers to only 10% or even none at all.

As signatories to the International Labor Organization (ILO) they should follow its opinion when it stated that the law seeks to protect the worker from excessive deductions not only by prescribing the maximum proportion of earnings which may be deducted, but also by providing that the minimum wage should remain immune from deductions.

As for us migrant workers we promise to campaign against this oppressive and unjust proposal and get the support of the most number from our ranks and from advocates in and out of Taiwan. One of these is by affixing our names and signatures in this petition letter addressed to the National Taiwan Administration.

Initial Signatories:

Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants – APMM

Labor Rights Association-LRA

Fr. Joyalito "Joy" Fontanilla Tajonera, M.M.

UGNAYAN MIGRANT AND IMMIGRANT MINISTRY

Bicol Association

Migranteng Ilonggo sa Taiwan

Migrante International-Taiwan chapter

Samahang Makata International, Taiwán chapter

Vis-Min Association in Taiwan

Pundok Bisaya International

Samahang Ilocano

OFW – family club, Taiwán chapter

Aguman Kapampangan in Taiwán

Bugkos

Taiwán International Workers Association (TIWA)

Kapulungan ng Samahang Filipino

James, Pakistan

Sunny, Pakistan

Arfan, Pakistan

Liza, Indonesia

Mylina, Indonesia

Indah, Indonesia

Tsai, Chih-Chieh

Wu Jia - Pei

Chen Hung- Ying

Huang Tiningnan

Wu Jiazhen

Hsia Hsiao Chuan

Wang Hsing -Chung - Amnesty International Taiwan

Wang - Chuan Ping - Labor Rights Association

Lennon Ying-Dah Wong, General Secretary, First Commercial Bank Industrial Union (FCBIU)

Jon Solomon, Assistant Professor, Tamkang University, Taiwan

GRAY (TITOGRAY) GLEASON, ICRT - ASIANATION PROGRAM, TAIWAN/PHILIPPINES

Leppo Salminen, Academy of fine arts, Finland

Ann Schemburg - Die Lihhe

Julia Riccuter, Art school Vassel, Germany

Biorn Melchus, Art school Vassel, Germany

Catrine Val, Kurest Hochsdule Vienna, Austria

Alexander Chestant, Paris, France

Su Mei Wu, Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA)

Tashinga Matindike, UCT, South Africa

Fabian Saftoun, UCT, South Africa

Fritha Hangerman, UCT, South Africa

Jacchi Jang, OCA, Australia

Jay Younger, Australia

Debra Porch, Australia

Abra Tingguian Ilocano Society (ATIS), Hong Kong

Jun Tellez – Mission for Migrant Workers HK

Anna Leah Escresa, Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research (EILER)

Migrante Metro Baguio

PROF. JUDY M. TAGUIWALO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES DILIMAN

BAOBAB FOR WOMEN'S HUMAN RIGHTS, NIGERIA

John Leonard Monterona – Migrante - Middle East regional coordinator

Migrante Kuwait

Migrante Qatar

Migrante-Saudi Arabia

Migante-Jeddah

Kapatiran sa Gitnang Silangan-Migrante Riyadh

KGS - Migrante Al Jouf

Migrante United Arab Emirates

Filipinos Married to Taiwanese Association (FMTA) Taiwan

Federation of Filipino Communities in Taiwan (FFCT) Taiwan

Filipino Bowlers Club (FBC) Taiwan

Overseas Workers Bowling Association (OWBA) - Taiwan

The Migrants (Taiwan)
FR. Antonio Salvania

Plus 50 Migrante Taiwan members

And 470 migrant workers from Taichung, Tanzih & Taipei

Petition Letter Addressed to the National Tax Administration

Urging it to Revoke its August 13, 2008 Regulation on Payment of

20% Income Tax for Migrant Workers

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