Behind the success stories of professionals from the Global South lies a struggle for recognition and inclusion in Taiwanese society.

In Taiwan, many locals often perceive the foreign community from the Global South as primarily migrant workers employed in factories or households, as they have been the most numerous and visible.

But foreign residents from Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean also work in industries such as engineering, education, and entertainment. These individuals often face similar levels of discrimination and encounter even greater challenges than their counterparts from the Global North.

Of the approximately 150,000 Filipinos in Taiwan, a small minority work in engineering or tech roles. One of these is Jun Baldoz, a procurement engineer at HP who has been working here since 2006.

Baldoz specialized in computer power systems and was a tech consultant for his first few years at HP before transferring to the procurement side. His family is here as well, with his children attending local schools. Despite the language barrier, he says life has been relatively smooth. The growing number of English speakers within the Taiwanese workforce has made discussions on technical business topics more manageable than in the past.

Though “I feel more comfortable in the Philippines,” he says that “living in Taiwan is quite convenient in terms of transportation and how the government handles legal requirements.” Another advantage of working in Taiwan is the excellent school system his children enjoy.

Indonesia, another Southeast Asian country with a significant number of migrant workers, has nearly 300,000 of its citizens working in Taiwan. Some Indonesian professionals, like Jovian Gautama, a content producer in the tech sector from Jakarta, originally came as students. After receiving a scholarship to attend a Taiwanese university in 2010 and graduating a few years later, Gautama has been working at tech startups in New Taipei City since 2016. “After I graduated, I wanted to stay,” he  says. “It’s very safe, simple, and clean.”

Originally from Pakistan, business marketing director Sam Khan is among the relatively few foreigners to have gained Taiwanese nationality. After arriving from Germany a decade ago, Khan found he enjoyed life in Taiwan and decided to pursue citizenship.

“It’s an Asian country, and I find it much more comfortable than living long-term in Germany,” he says. “I’ve had opportunities to work for companies in the U.S. and Canada, but since I was happy in Taiwan and I realized I specifically wanted Taiwan citizenship, I declined.”

Gaining citizenship required Khan to relinquish his original Pakistani citizenship, an arduous process that Khan later detailed in a social media article that went viral. While he says he has no regrets, he’s candid about the challenges, such as bringing his parents to stay in Taiwan and securing citizenship for his Taiwan-born child. In one instance, as part of the naturalization process the authorities even requested proof that his infant daughter was unmarried.

Kahn says that even after gaining citizenship, he still faces the same issues as a non-citizen when it comes to his parents staying in Taiwan for a long period. His story reflects the reality faced by many foreign residents who have become citizens without a Taiwanese spouse. “The average ARC holder from the Philippines or India or Pakistan cannot get their parents to visit for more than a month,” he says. “At the end of the day, we want to be with family and not have to deal with visa and immigration issues.”

Khan emphasizes that if Taiwan really wants to become more international and attract foreign talent, it needs to simplify the process for foreigners to settle down because right now, “Taiwan is not optimized for settling in or for immigration.”

Gautama agrees, noting that Taiwan could improve by making it easier for foreigners to establish businesses. “If you don’t speak Chinese, it’s hard to find information on how to immigrate or set up businesses in Taiwan.”

Banking is another frequently cited issue for foreign residents, who face stringent or unclear rules at local banks. For South African entrepreneur Mary Mullan-Christie, the requirement to sign for remittances, even for relatively small amounts, can be a burdensome process.

“I have to get foreign remittances, but because I am a foreigner, everything has to be signed for before they can be released into my business account, even if the amount is small,” she says. “It’s been coming in for years and years, and I still need to come to the bank.”

Economic encouragement

Despite a government framework that can feel alienating to those seeking to establish themselves in Taiwan, a globalizing job market is gradually creating opportunities to integrate into society.

Aditya Ramkrishna, originally from India, was transferred to Taiwan from Germany where he had been an executive at a German multinational. He first came to Taichung in 2014 to head his company’s office there for three years, went back to Germany, and then came to Taipei in 2020 as the general manager of  the company’s digital industry division. Now back in his hometown of Mumbai, Ramkrishna has nothing but warm memories of his years in Taiwan. “What I really like is people in Taiwan are very open to foreigners and very welcoming,” he says.

His work with suppliers highlighted how receptive many clients were. While there is a traditional hierarchy, management is open to discussing ideas if they bring value. He also notes how company leadership has been shifting.

“In Taichung and Tainan, many of my customers were family-owned businesses,” says Ramkrishna. “The older generation is retiring, and the second generation – mostly in their forties and educated in places like the U.S. or Australia – is driving significant change.”

South African expat and Chiayi resident Mullan-Christie came to Taiwan in 2004 with a one-year plan. Like many others, she ended up staying much longer than expected. She now runs a trading business along and together with her husband cofounded a non-profit organization called SATAI (South African-Taiwan Association of Interchange), which holds annual functions and outdoor events for South Africans.

As someone who loves being busy and involved in different projects, Mullan-Christie is fond of Taiwan’s work ethic and the people in Chiayi, who she says “are my kind of people – nice, down-to-earth, and not transactional.” As a businesswoman who was the victim of armed robbery a few times in her native country, she says coming to Taiwan made her “feel safe in the world again.”

Another South African expat who has settled down here is Faiza, who came to Taiwan after marrying her Taiwanese spouse, with whom she has four daughters. She works as a brand development and marketing consultant for Taiwanese fitness and cosmetics brands, helping them market and exhibit their products internationally. “I love to help companies in business development believe more in themselves when they walk into a room,” says Faiza, who asked to be identified by just her first name.

Fazia says Taiwan can enhance its international reputation by promoting its high-quality products more. She points to South Korea, which has used its electronics, beauty, and pop culture sectors to promote its global brand. “I believe this is an SOP to becoming international,” she says. “What happens is you’re out there in people’s kitchens, wardrobes, garages. That’s where you gain recognition.”

Ramkrishna concurs that Taiwan can do more to promote itself, especially in his home country. “In India, when you read about Taiwan, it’s concerning geopolitics,” he says. “If anybody asks me, I’m going to be saying positive stuff. If the word spreads that Taiwan is a great place to work and live, more people will come. Taiwan can do a better job at promoting itself and attracting talent like me, who are senior or mid-management types.”

Defying discrimination

While most immigrants generally enjoy life in Taiwan, many have faced challenges involving discrimination.

“When I first came, people were very unfamiliar with people of color,” says Saint Lucian native Keril Victor. “There were curious people who would want to take pictures, as well as people who wouldn’t sit next to you. One time, I asked this woman for directions for the MRT, and she grabbed her purse and took off! Kids are curious, but parents would grab their kids and say, ‘Don’t talk to this stranger!’”

Still, Victor says the situation has improved since he first arrived. “There were these encounters for quite some time, but Taiwan has changed due to globalization or because there are more Black people in Taiwan.”

Victor has literally sung Taiwan’s praises as a full-time performer, singing in Mandarin, Taiwanese, and even Hakka. When he came to Taiwan 11 years ago to study Mandarin, he knew very little about the island but decided to stay to get his bachelor’s degree in Taipei.

While in university, he entered a local singing competition, performing in Mandarin and placing in the top six, gaining a loyal fan base in the process. Since then, his music career has led to Victor founding his own entertainment company, which manages local singers, writes and produces music for weddings, and creates songs and jingles for commercials.

Victor appreciates being able to help change people’s attitudes toward Black people. “I remember one fan messaged me,” he says. “She was so grateful. She said that me being part of the competition and singing in Chinese had changed her mom’s attitude to Black people. Before, her mom had a very unfriendly response toward Black people, but she became one of my fans.” As a result, sources of tension were eased and the relationship between the girl and her mother grew closer.

He says he values the opportunity to influence people’s lives and shift their attitudes or mindsets through his work. However, he acknowledges that with a certain level of popularity comes the responsibility of being an ambassador for Black people. “One bad example would have a reverse effect in terms of how people view or understand Black people,” Victor says.

Taipei-based headhunter Alan McIvor, a native of Scotland, says more education is needed to change mindsets. “There still needs to be public education about multiculturalism, diversity, and racism,” he says. “Many Taiwanese still think, ‘We like Filipinos working in factories, but they shouldn’t be here in white-collar jobs as those are for Taiwanese.’”

McIvor, a practice leader at executive search firm Paul Wright Group, says Southeast Asians are often undervalued in the market. “Taiwanese employers don’t see their strengths in the same way as if they were American or Germans, who are more highly regarded.”

Foreign residents clearly bring a wealth of diverse experiences and skills to Taiwan, significantly contributing to the economy, generating new ideas, starting families, and enriching the cultural landscape. For Southeast Asian workers like Baldoz, there is hope that local perceptions of Filipinos will evolve positively.

“My dream is that locals can see Filipinos as more than just migrant workers,” he says.