The Struggle for Recognition: The Politics of Migrant Care Worker Policies in Taiwan

Abstract

This article investigates how local political context—including civil society and political parties—influences the development of migrant care worker policies in Taiwan. This is particularly important in a national context where the government has actively utilized migrant care worker policies to solve the crisis in the social welfare sector. This article draws upon documentary analysis of policy debates on the proposed implementation of Long-Term Care Insurance and in-depth interviews with government officials, public service providers and non-governmental organizations to explore how the political alliances of political parties, social organizations, and interest groups affect policy outcomes. While current research focuses on the relationship between social welfare policies and the employment of migrant care workers, this article highlights the local political context and explores how political alliances have influenced the development of migrant care worker policies. This article argues that institutional path dependency and the strong policy alliance between the progressive party and social welfare organizations have stymied changes in migrant care worker policies and prevented Taiwan from further socializing the eldercare sector.