Not only is the migrant worker demographic in Taiwan an important economic driving force, it’s also a consumer group that cannot be ignored. According to Labor Ministry statistics, the population of more than 800,000 is predicted to reach 1 million within 2025, an opportunity not lost on many businesses.
An Indonesian woman asks a convenience store clerk about food product ingredients, to which he responds with a premade placard that easily helps both parties communicate.
Taiwan’s numerous convenience stores are renowned for offering a variety of items from tasty food to package pickup and delivery, and the addition of language cards is making them even more convenient for the increasing population of migrant workers. In Indonesian, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Thai, customers can communicate about not only food but also services like money transfers, bill payments, buying phone or internet cards, and more.
Some stores have also introduced flavors such as Thai Tom Yum soup and clearly labeled pork-free areas for ease of shopping. Taxi or printing services are also available in seven languages.
The registered migrant worker population recently exceeded 800,000, with Indonesian numbering nearly 300,000, Vietnamese at almost 280,000, Filipino approaching 160,000, and Thai slightly under 73,000.
The Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) reported that from January to September of 2024, NT$60.7 billion (US$1.9 billion) was transferred by migrant workers over 6 million transactions, which has prompted banks to increase access to their services through language availability.
Non-profit organization One-Forty Founder Kevin Chen (陳凱翔) explains that migrant workers experience frustration due to poor communication not only at the bank but also in hospitals as they frequently go with the elderly under their care. He says he is happy to see many establishments across Taiwan beginning to cater to the needs of migrant workers.
As everyone should have plentiful access to all living necessities, showing more goodwill to our international friends is certainly speaking the right language.