In October, Crossroads, a global talent development association based in Taiwan, launched a petition on the Public Policy Online Participation Network Platform, calling for relaxed immigration rules to attract international talent.
National Immigration Agency statistics show that 39,876 foreign nationals in Taiwan hold permanent residency. Many are eager to become citizens but are deterred by the requirement to renounce their original nationality. Crossroads’ petition advocated granting Taiwanese citizenship to foreigners with five years of permanent residency without requiring them to forfeit their original citizenship. Garnering over 5,700 endorsements in just 50 days, the petition surpassed the threshold for government review.
In its response, the Interior Ministry pointed out that Taiwan already allows dual citizenship for highly skilled professionals and individuals with notable contributions. It defended the current policy, citing limited land, high population density, and national security concerns. The ministry argued that allowing long-term residents to naturalize without renouncing their citizenship could strain fiscal resources and social welfare systems. Consequently, the proposal was rejected.
Crossroads’ Director of the Experimental Education Committee Alice Ho (侯采彤) expressed disappointment at the government's decision. She criticized the criteria for naturalization as unclear and described the ministry's response as rigid. The rejection left many foreign residents and advocates feeling frustrated and disheartened, reigniting debate over Taiwan’s approach to attracting and retaining global talent.