24/03/2026
Kicking off Crossroads' 2026 initiative, we had the pleasure of meeting with Legislator Mei-ling Loh 羅美玲 today to discuss an important and increasingly urgent issue: the long-running structural inequality faced by immigrants in Taiwan due to the lack of household registration (戶籍).
During our discussion, we shared key insights from our proposal on establishing a type of parallel Household Registration System for permanent residents - a practical, incremental administrative solution designed to address long-standing gaps in access to essential services and rights.
Despite being long-term contributors to Taiwanese society, many permanent residents still face systemic barriers in areas such as:
• Social welfare and disability assistance
• Estate and inheritance rights
• Tax residency recognition
• Access to education (from elementary school through university)
• Reproductive health and childcare subsidies
• Social housing eligibility
• Local emergency assistance
These are not fringe issues - they are fundamental aspects of living with dignity and stability in Taiwan.
Taiwan is entering a critical demographic transition. In February 2026, the number of births dropped to just 6,523, another historic low. At the same time, the number of foreign residents continues to grow steadily, increasing by over 4,000 people in a single month, with permanent residents reaching more than 47,000 and rising. This creates a clear reality: Taiwan’s long-term development will increasingly rely on this population, yet our current legal and administrative systems have not kept pace.
Acting now allows Taiwan to:
• Proactively design integration mechanisms rather than react later
• Prevent larger systemic friction in the future
• Strengthen its position as a globally competitive and inclusive destination for talent
Our proposal emphasizes a clear and pragmatic approach:
• Establish a new standalone legal framework (avoiding conflict with the current Household Registration Act)
• Ensure the system is non-political (no voting rights involved)
• Focus on integration, protection, and equal access
• Roll out in phases, beginning with core rights and services
This is about improving governance and building a more inclusive, future-ready Taiwan. We are sincerely grateful to Legislator Loh and her team for her openness and willingness to explore this issue with us, and for engaging in a thoughtful discussion on how Taiwan can better support those who have already committed their lives and futures here.
We look forward to continuing this dialogue and working together with her and other legislative leaders across all parties toward meaningful, practical reform.
