28/05/2026
🙋♀️ IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Recently, President Lai unveiled the government’s 18-point strategy to address Taiwan’s growing population crisis. We warmly welcome the government’s proactive efforts to confront this increasingly urgent challenge. As part of this broader national initiative, Crossroads was honored to be invited to formally submit a policy recommendation paper to the Executive Yuan. The proposal was recently discussed and then accepted by Premier Cho Jung-tai to undergo official assessment and consideration. You may find links to the submitted proposal in English and Chinese in the comments section below.
Our policy recommendation proposes two pragmatic reforms:
🧎♀️➡️ Opening birthright citizenship to children born in Taiwan to permanent resident (holders of Alien Permanent Resident Certificates, or APRC) parent(s)
👩🍼 Providing a pathway to citizenship without forced renunciation for the permanent resident parent(s) of that child in Taiwan
Taiwan is now a super-aged society: birth rates continue to fall, the working-age population continues to shrink, and the long-term pressures on Taiwan’s economy, labor force, healthcare system, and even national security are becoming increasingly clear. Not only economic considerations, but also seismic shifts in cultural and social attitudes towards child rearing and marriage lie at the center of this demographic challenge.
Simply put, Taiwan needs more citizens.
At the same time, another reality is also emerging: Taiwan’s permanent resident population has grown by over 267% in the past decade - from around 13,000 to 48,000 people.
This relatively small yet significant demographic are not short-term migrants. They are tax-paying long-term residents - teachers, engineers, doctors, entrepreneurs, professionals, and parents who have already built their lives in Taiwan. They have already been screened, integrated, and retained by Taiwan’s own immigration system.
Yet under the current system, many children born in Taiwan to permanent resident families still face uncertainty about whether they can fully belong to the country they call home. Even though Taiwan is their birthplace, they are legally treated as “foreigners,” with residency rights tied to their parents’ permanent resident status until the age of 20. Upon reaching adulthood, they are often forced to either apply for temporary residency as foreign nationals or leave the country altogether.
This is not about “opening the floodgates” to immigration. It is about recognizing and investing in the people who are already here - people who are already contributing to Taiwan’s economy, society, culture, and future.
Some facts about permanent residents:
🚶♂️➡️ Legally reside in Taiwan for at least 5 years (3 years for foreign professional Gold Card holders)
🫄 Pay taxes
👫 Meet financial and professional thresholds
🧑🍼 Pass criminal background checks
👼 Represent a highly productive demographic: Their labor participation rate is approximately 80.4%, compared to approximately 59.6% for Taiwan citizens.
👶 The permanent resident scheme does not apply to Mainland Chinese nationals.
Taiwan does not lack people willing to build a future here. What Taiwan lacks is a system capable of turning long-term contributors into long-term national strength.
As Taiwan confronts demographic decline, labor shortages, and growing geopolitical pressures, the question is no longer whether reform is needed. The question is whether Taiwan is willing to embrace the people who have already embraced Taiwan.
We look forward to an official response from the Executive Yuan over the next few months. If you are a permanent resident, or an immigrant considering Taiwan as your long-term home, please let us know in the comments your thoughts on this policy. Would such a policy reform encourage you to raise a family in Taiwan?
*All data and statistics sourced from official Ministry of Interior, National Immigration Agency, and Ministry of Labor websites for the period of January 1, 2016 to March 31, 2026.
