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Reporting Global Tech Stories
全球科技報導
Asia Labor  亞洲勞工 Taiwan’s chip plants run on migrant workers. Job brokers run their lives
Labor  勞動

Workers describe abusive treatment in Taiwan’s semiconductor factories
台灣蓬勃發展的晶片產業中,移工卻面臨虐待問題

A record number of people are leaving the Philippines to work in Taiwanese factories, where they face long shifts, low pay, and unequal treatment.
現在越來越多菲律賓人來台灣工廠上班,人數多到破紀錄,但他們在那邊工時超長、薪水又少,待遇很不公平耶。

An illustrated scene depicting individuals in a futuristic, high-tech setting resembling a computer circuit board. Several people sit or lie on small bunks, appearing distressed or disoriented, while a figure in a pink outfit operates machinery above. The environment is dark with neon green and purple highlights, emphasizing a surreal and dystopian atmosphere.
Eva Redamonti for Rest of World
Eva Redamonti for Rest of World
Eva Redamonti 撰文,刊登於 Rest of World
翻译成中文 (简体字)   [保持原樣]
  • Filipino workers in Taiwan’s booming semiconductor industry face long hours, low pay, and second-class treatment.
    台灣蓬勃發展的半導體產業中,菲律賓移工面臨工時長、薪水低,以及二等公民的待遇。
  • Workers describe overnight shifts of up to 16 hours, verbal abuse,  and threats of deportation as they produce the high-end chips that end up in iPhones, Teslas, and data centers.
    這些移工努力生產用於 iPhone、特斯拉和數據中心的高階晶片,同時卻得忍受長達 16 小時的夜班、口頭上的謾罵,以及被威脅遣返。
  • Authorities say they are trying to better educate migrant tech workers about their rights.
    官方表示,他們正努力加強對科技業移工的權益教育。

(This is the second of a two-part series on migrant workers in Taiwan’s semiconductor industry. Read the first story here.)
(這是關於台灣半導體產業移工的兩部系列報導之二。第一部請點此閱讀。)

The chip worker set off from a small coastal town in the Filipino province of Batangas with one suitcase, a backpack, and high hopes that, though she had to leave her two kids at home, her new job in Taiwan would help them afford a better lifestyle.
這位晶片產業的移工,帶著一只行李箱、一個背包,從菲律賓八打雁省(Batangas)的一個海邊小鎮啟程,滿懷希望。即使得忍痛將兩個孩子留在家鄉,她仍期望在台灣的新工作能讓他們過上更好的生活。

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Fresh off the plane in Taipei, the worker, who asked to be called Jenny, was lined up with other workers, herded into a van, and delivered to a dormitory where she shared a small room with three others. Two days later, she was doing 12-hour overnight shifts processing chip components used by Apple, Nvidia, and others. She struggled to keep up.
剛下飛機抵達台北,這位要求化名珍妮的移工就跟其他移工一樣,被集合起來,塞進一台廂型車,然後送到一間宿舍,跟另外三個人擠在一間小小的房間。兩天後,她就開始上 12 小時的夜班,處理蘋果、Nvidia 等公司會用到的晶片元件。她做得非常吃力。

She was bullied for months and forced to resign after she complained, she told Rest of World
她告訴 Rest of World,她被霸凌了好幾個月,而且在申訴後就被迫離職。

“I told myself I’d just endure it,” the 33-year-old said. “But eventually, I couldn’t anymore.”
這位 33 歲的移工說:「我那時候一直跟自己說,再忍一下就好。」「可是到最後,真的忍不下去了。」

Jenny is one of the record number of Filipino workers helping power Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, which is booming on the back of global demand for advanced chips used in AI data centers, smartphones, computers, and other products. Over 60% of the world’s chip supplies come from Taiwan. 
珍妮只是創紀錄數量中的其中一位菲律賓移工,他們正在為台灣半導體產業貢獻力量。台灣半導體產業因為全球對用於 AI 資料中心、智慧型手機、電腦等產品的先進晶片需求大增而蓬勃發展。全球超過六成的晶片供應都來自台灣。

While companies in Taiwan woo and welcome Filipino workers, more than 10 recent arrivals told Rest of World they struggled with overwork and discrimination. Authorities from Taiwan and the Philippines said there are regulations to protect Filipino workers, and places for them to report abuse. 
雖然台灣的企業很歡迎菲律賓移工,但有超過 10 位剛到台灣的移工告訴 Rest of World,他們都面臨過度勞動和歧視的問題。台灣和菲律賓的官方都表示,有相關法規可以保護菲律賓移工,也有申訴管道可以讓他們檢舉不當對待。

The Philippines has been one of the world’s biggest sources of migrant workers for decades. Filipino workers can be found in health care, in hotels, in homes, and on ships. There are nearly 2 million overseas Filipino workers, and nearly 5% of them work in Taiwan, according to government estimates.
幾十年來,菲律賓一直是全球最大的移工來源國之一。從醫療照護、飯店、家庭到船舶上,都可以看到菲律賓移工的身影。根據政府估計,目前有將近 200 萬名海外菲律賓移工,其中將近 5%在台灣工作。

When Taiwanese tech companies started having trouble finding enough locals, they began looking toward nearby Asian nations for workers, engineers, and even teenage students to fill out their factories. The number of Filipinos in the industry has surged by more than 50% in the last 10 years.
當台灣的科技公司開始找不到足夠的本地人時,他們就開始轉往附近的亞洲國家找工人、工程師,甚至連十幾歲的學生都找來填補工廠人力。結果菲律賓人在這個產業的人數在過去十年暴增了超過五成。

Filipino workers now dominate the production lines of many Taiwanese semiconductor makers. Their English proficiency, diligence, and respect for authority make them great hires for fast-paced production lines, employers and brokers said.
很多台灣半導體廠的產線,現在都是菲律賓移工撐起來的。雇主和仲介都說,他們英文不錯、又很認真、也聽話,在這種講求速度的產線上,是很好用的人力。

The Philippine government has ramped up recruitment efforts to help its citizens benefit from the growing demand. Taiwan could hire more than 20,000 Filipino workers for the sector this year alone, according to Cesar Chavez Jr., labor attaché at the Philippine Migrant Workers Office in Taipei. That’s a 25% addition to the nearly 80,000 Filipinos already working in the semiconductor industry. 
菲律賓政府最近是卯足全力在招募人手,希望自家國民也能搭上這波熱潮受惠。根據菲律賓移工辦公室駐台北的勞工代表小查維茲(Cesar Chavez Jr.)的說法,光今年台灣的半導體產業就可能聘用超過兩萬名菲律賓移工。這等於是在現有將近八萬名在半導體產業工作的菲律賓移工之外,再增加四分之一的人力,超多的!

“It will still increase in the coming years because of AI,” Chavez told Rest of World.
Chavez 告訴 Rest of World 說,「因為 AI,未來幾年人數還會繼續增加。」

Rest of World spoke with more than 20 semiconductor workers and experts in the industry. The workers asked to go by nicknames, as they are concerned they could lose their jobs or be forced to return home. 
《Rest of World》採訪了二十多位半導體產業的移工和相關專家。這些移工都要求用匿名受訪,很怕會因此丟了工作,或被迫遣返回國。

The migrant chip workers said they have to work longer hours for less pay than their local counterparts, and perform more difficult and riskier work. 
那些移工說,他們做的工時比本地人長,錢卻領得比較少,而且工作內容還更難、風險更高。

For semiconductor companies, the environment is often military-style, with quotas to fill and workers being laid off if they can’t meet those quotas.
對那些做半導體的公司來說,環境常常都是軍事化管理,有配額要達標,如果工人達不到標準,就直接被掃地出門。

Shifts for foreign workers are often overnight. Twelve-hour shifts are the norm, but 16-hour days are not unusual. They said that at some factories they are punished for small mistakes on the production line, and even threatened with deportation if they refuse orders. 
外籍移工的班表常常都是大夜班。基本上都得做 12 小時,但一天做 16 小時也不算少見。他們說,有些工廠會因為生產線上的一點小錯誤就罰他們,甚至如果他們不聽指令,還會威脅要遣返他們。

During typhoons, locals are often allowed to go home while the foreign laborers have to stay and work, said Gilda Banugan, chairperson of Migrante Taiwan, an organization that advocates for Filipino workers’ rights. 
Migrante Taiwan 是個專門替菲律賓移工爭取權益的組織,他們主席 Gilda Banugan 就說啊,颱風來的時候,台灣本地人都嘛可以放假回家,可是那些外籍移工卻得留下來繼續工作。

“If they refuse, they risk losing their jobs,” she told Rest of World.
她跟 Rest of World 說,如果他們不從,就可能丟掉飯碗。

Jenny had already worked for several years at a chip company in the Philippines. In Taiwan, her job was feeding thousands of chip parts into a cleaning machine. She said her trainer, who was also from the Philippines, shouted at her, pressured her to work faster, and called her “stupid.” 
Jenny 以前在菲律賓的晶片公司已經工作了好幾年。來台灣之後,她的工作是把成千上萬的晶片零件餵進清洗機。她說她的訓練員也是從菲律賓來的,會對她大吼大叫,逼她動作快一點,還罵她「很笨」。

“When I was just waiting for her instruction, she would snap at me,” Jenny said during an interview at a shelter for Filipino workers who have fled their employers.
Jenny 在一個專門安置逃離雇主的菲律賓移工庇護所受訪時說:「我只是在等她的指示,她就會對我大吼大叫。」

She said her take-home pay of less than $650 a month was below what she had expected, and that life in the dorm was difficult. Most days, she would sit in her room and cry. 
她說扣掉雜七雜八費用後,每個月實領不到 650 美元,跟她當初預期的差很大,而且宿舍生活也蠻難熬的。很多時候,她都只能待在房間裡哭。

The pressure to produce is the norm for Filipino workers at many factories, said Lennon Ying-Da Wang, a director at Serve the People Association, a nonprofit that helps migrant workers in labor disputes with employers.
對許多工廠的菲律賓移工來說,生產壓力大根本是家常便飯,替移工處理勞資糾紛的非營利組織「為人民服務協會」主任 Lennon Ying-Da Wang 這樣說。

“For semiconductor companies, the environment is often military-style, with quotas to fill and workers being laid off if they can’t meet those quotas,” he told Rest of World
他跟 Rest of World 說,在半導體公司,環境通常都像軍隊一樣,要趕出一定的量,達不到就會被裁掉。

Another Filipino factory worker, from Cavite, complained about his job where he tests multimillion-dollar servers used by Elon Musk’s AI company xAI. 
另一位來自甲米地的菲律賓廠工,抱怨他測試 Elon Musk 的 AI 公司 xAI 用來運行的數百萬美元伺服器的工作。

The worker, who asked to go by the name James, said his basic salary was lower than he had anticipated, so he worked overtime to earn enough to send money home. His take-home pay was also more vulnerable than he expected because he could be punished when his work wasn’t up to par, he told Rest of World
這位要求匿名的移工(我們就叫他 James 好了)說,他的底薪比預期的少,所以只能靠加班來賺錢寄回家。他跟《Rest of World》透露,實際拿到的薪水也比他想像的更不穩定,因為只要工作表現不好,隨時可能被扣錢。

“Every little error gets reported,” he said.
他說:「每一點小錯誤都會被回報。」

The Filipino workers said they have been passed over for promotions and denied bonuses for minor productivity issues.
這些菲律賓移工說,他們經常因為一點點生產力上的小問題,就被剝奪了升遷和領獎金的機會。

Workers and experts said monthly wages for Filipinos tend to hover near the minimum wage of around 29,000 New Taiwan dollars ($970) per month. In contrast, local employees start higher and get bonuses, perks, and raises. Local job ads show Taiwanese workers being offered higher salaries. 
移工和專家都表示,菲律賓移工的月薪通常都只在基本工資附近徘徊,大約是每月新台幣 29,000 元(約合 970 美元)。相較之下,本地員工的起薪就比較高,還能領到獎金、福利,也比較容易加薪。看看當地的徵才廣告就知道,台灣員工的薪資待遇確實比較好。

“If they are doing the same job, it’s clear that this is discrimination,” Liuhuang Li-Chuan, who studies the conditions of migrant workers as an associate professor at Taiwan’s National Chung Cheng University, told Rest of World.
中正大學研究移工議題的副教授劉黃麗娟對 Rest of World 表示:「如果他們做的是一樣的工作,那這擺明就是歧視。」

Filipino workers said they have to submit to random drug testing. They said companies seem to use the tests to cut head count when there is a lull in production or a worker they want to squeeze out. 
這些菲律賓勞工說,他們常常被要求隨機驗尿驗血,公司好像會趁產量沒那麼多,或是想壓榨哪個勞工的時候,就用這招來把人刷掉。

ASE Technology Holding — one of the companies that workers complained about — says in its corporate social responsibility report that foreign employees are given the same benefits as locals. 
日月光半導體(就是移工們抱怨的公司之一)在企業社會責任報告裡說,他們的外籍員工享有跟台灣本地人一樣的福利。

A spokesperson from the company told Rest of World it investigates complaints of bullying and almost always finds that they are the result of personal disputes rather than company policy. The company said more than 95% of its employees sign up to continue working for the company when their contracts expire. 
日月光的一位發言人跟 Rest of World 說,他們會調查霸凌申訴,不過幾乎都發現這是私人糾紛,跟公司政策沒什麼關係。公司還說,超過 95% 的員工在合約到期後都選擇繼續留下來工作。

Super Micro Computer, another company that workers mentioned, said it complies with local and international labor laws and has a system for employees to report problems. 
工人提到的另一間公司 Super Micro Computer 則表示,他們都有遵守國內外勞動法規,而且也有內部系統讓員工回報問題。

“If the company becomes aware of a possible issue, we swiftly investigate the matter and take appropriate action,” a spokesperson told Rest of World
有發言人跟 Rest of World 說啦,「如果公司知道可能有狀況,我們就會趕快查清楚,然後做該做的事。」

An urban scene featuring a large, modern building with glass windows labeled 'SUPERMICR,' surrounded by greenery and a busy street with motorcycles and cars. Traffic lights and street signs are visible in the foreground against a cloudy sky.
Hsiuwen Liu/Rest of World
Super Micro Computer 的員工抱怨他們工時超長,還受到歧視。Hsiuwen Liu/Rest of World 報導。

The Taiwan Semiconductor Industry Association said it had no comment.  
台灣半導體產業協會對此表示沒有評論。

Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor has a 24-hour hotline for foreign worker complaints. The complaints, primarily about wages, documents, and contracts, are referred to local officials for investigation when needed, a spokesperson said.
台灣勞動部設有 24 小時外籍移工申訴專線。發言人表示,申訴內容主要涉及薪資、文件和合約問題,必要時會轉給地方政府調查。

“If the local labor authority determines that the migrant worker is not responsible for the dispute, the Ministry of Labor will revoke the employer’s permit and allow the worker to switch employers or jobs,” the spokesperson said. 
這位發言人指出:「如果地方勞動主管機關認定爭議不是移工的責任,勞動部就會廢止雇主的聘僱許可,並允許移工轉換雇主或工作。」

The spokesperson said the ministry also works with the countries that send laborers to ensure they are better briefed on what to expect. It also has social media and radio content in multiple languages to inform workers about their rights.
發言人表示,政府部門也有跟勞力輸出國合作,確保這些勞工在出發前就能對狀況有更清楚的認識。他們也用多種語言透過社群媒體和廣播,讓移工更了解自己的權益。

When Jenny, the chip worker from Batangas, complained to her fellow workers and the broker who managed her about the bullying, they told her to toughen up and keep quiet, she said.
Jenny 說,當她這個從八打雁省來的晶片廠員工,跟同事還有負責她的仲介抱怨被欺負時,他們都跟她說要撐下去,別多說什麼。

Eventually, she called the hotline to file a complaint, but nothing was done to improve her work environment, Jenny said. She later said she was forced to resign because of her complaints. She now worries she will get kicked out of Taiwan. 
Jenny 說,後來她打了申訴專線,但工作環境還是沒改善。她後來甚至說,就是因為她申訴,她才被迫辭職。她現在很擔心會被趕出台灣。

Her broker told her that if she doesn’t find a job soon, she will be reported to the police and sent home. Foreign workers who have left their jobs must go home after 60 days if they fail to find a new employer. 
她的仲介跟她說,如果她沒快點找到工作,就會被報警遣送回國。外籍移工離職後,如果在 60 天內沒找到新雇主,就必須回國。

“I have two children and I just want to work,” she said. “I don’t know why they treated me this way.”
「我有兩個小孩,只想好好工作而已,」她說。「我不知道為什麼他們要這樣對我。」

Labor  勞動

Taiwan’s chip plants run on migrant workers. Job brokers run their lives
台灣的晶圓廠靠移工撐著,但他們的命運卻操縱在仲介手裡

In Taiwan’s AI-fueled chip boom, brokers control everything from paychecks to dorm beds, leaving workers feeling trapped and exploited.
在台灣因為 AI 帶來的晶片熱潮下,仲介從薪水到宿舍床位大小都一手包辦,讓這些移工覺得自己被困住,還被狠狠壓榨。

A towering figure in green trousers and grey shoes stands over a crowd of pink, hooded figures working at tables filled with various tools and equipment, some holding money and others looking upward. The setting is a stark, industrial-like space with bright lighting and a staircase leading up to a balcony.
Eva Redamonti for Rest of World
Eva Redamonti for Rest of World
Eva Redamonti 替 Rest of World 報導
翻译成中文 (简体字)   (這段請維持英文,謝謝)
  • Migrant workers in Taiwan are usually represented by a broker who arranges everything from dormitories to job placements.
    在台灣,移工通常會透過仲介安排一切,從宿舍到工作都是。
  • Brokers are profiting from the massive influx of Filipino labor in the Taiwanese chip sector.
    仲介正從大量湧入台灣晶片產業的菲律賓移工身上大賺一筆。
  • Migrant groups are accusing brokers of siphoning salaries and silencing grievances.
    移工團體控訴仲介 A 走他們的薪水,還讓他們無法申訴。

(This is the first of a two-part series on migrant workers in Taiwan’s semiconductor industry. Read the second story here.)
(這系列報導共有兩篇,探討台灣半導體產業的移工處境,這是第一篇。第二篇在這裡可以看。)

A group of migrant tech workers from the Philippines sat for lunch at their shelter in the Taiwanese city of Taichung, and thanked God for the food and asked for protection from bad brokers.  
一群來自菲律賓的移工,在台灣台中市的收容中心吃午餐,他們感謝上帝賜予食物,也祈求能免於不良仲介的壓榨。

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“Grant us the strength to provide for our families, and a broker who will not take advantage of us,” prayed one of the workers, arms raised over a steaming plate of pork and rice.
其中一位移工高舉雙手,對著熱騰騰的豬肉飯祈禱:「請賜予我們力量,讓我們能好好養家,也求您賜予我們一位不會佔我們便宜的仲介。」

The shelter, which doubles as a chapel on Sundays, sits close to the factories inside the industrial city in central Taiwan. It is run by the Catholic Church and is home to a growing number of Filipinos who have fled jobs at chip factories and other tech manufacturers, and now struggle with the brokers they rely on to find new positions.
這個庇護所就在台灣中部工業城區的工廠附近,星期天會兼作小教堂使用。這是由天主教會管理的,裡面住著越來越多從晶圓廠或其他科技廠逃出來的菲律賓勞工。他們現在正為了找新工作,跟之前幫他們仲介的人周旋,處境很艱難。

Migrant workers coming to Taiwan are assigned a broker before they arrive. The brokers have incredible sway over the workers’ lives. They manage their paperwork, accommodation, meals, transport, insurance, and other aspects. When employers get complaints from workers, the brokers handle them. When workers want to change jobs, the broker has to sign off. Too often, brokers abuse this power, Filipino workers told Rest of World, overcharging for basic amenities, ignoring their grievances, and sometimes even demanding bribes. 
來台灣的移工在來之前都會被安排一個仲介。這些仲介對移工的生活有著超乎想像的影響力。他們的食衣住行、文件處理、保險等等,全部都由仲介一手包辦。如果雇主收到移工的抱怨,仲介會去處理。移工想換工作,也得仲介簽字同意才行。很多時候,這些仲介就是仗著權力亂來,菲律賓移工跟 Rest of World 說,他們會對基本的生活開銷亂收費、對移工的訴求視而不見,甚至還會收賄賂。

A presentation screen displaying information about commonly seen recruitment scams, including excessive personal data requests, unusual salary offers, and private meeting requests, alongside a cartoon character in business attire. The background features a blue curtain, religious statues, and a visible television setup.
Hsiuwen Liu/Rest of World
這個庇護所是由天主教會經營的,到了星期天就搖身一變成為教堂。 Hsiuwen Liu/Rest of World

Taiwan – the world’s dominant source of semiconductors – has recruited a record number of people from nearby nations to meet the surge in demand for chips for AI. Taiwan’s factories produce the lion’s share of advanced chips needed for sprawling AI data centers, Tesla vehicles, iPhones, and other gadgets. 
台灣可是全球最重要的半導體生產地,為了應付 AI 晶片爆量的需求,從附近國家找了史上最多的外籍移工來幫忙。台灣的工廠生產了大部分 AI 資料中心、Tesla 電動車、iPhone 和其他一些小玩意兒裡頭最先進的晶片。

Many chip manufacturers now have lines almost entirely staffed by Filipinos. As more are brought in to do the hard labor required to produce the high-end chips, battles with brokers are on the rise.
現在很多晶片廠的生產線,幾乎都是菲律賓移工在撐。為了生產那些高階晶片,需要做很多辛苦的勞力活,所以引進更多移工,結果跟仲介的糾紛也越來越多。

Joy Tajonera, the Catholic priest in charge of the shelter in Taichung, said brokers use misinformation to manipulate their clients, preying on their limited knowledge of Taiwan’s labor regulations. Around seven out of 10 migrants seeking the shelter’s help have trouble with their broker, he told Rest of World.  
台中那個安置中心的 Joy Tajonera 神父說,仲介會利用不實資訊來控制移工,就是看準他們對台灣勞動法規不熟。他跟 Rest of World 透露,來尋求協助的移工,大概十個裡面有七個都跟仲介有問題。

“Migrants are taught that brokers are on their side,” said Tajonera, who uses his Sunday sermon to educate migrants on their rights. “But they’re just agents of the employers.”
Tajonera 在星期天的佈道中教育移工關於他們的權益,他說:「他們會被教導說,仲介是站在他們這邊的,」 「但仲介只是雇主的代理人。」

Broker companies in Taiwan act as global HR departments. They know how to find planeloads of laborers quickly and do the reams of paperwork required to get them into the factories. They are also in charge of taking care of the workers. 
台灣的仲介公司就像全球人力資源部門一樣。他們超會找人,可以快速搞定一大票工人,還會處理那些讓他們進工廠所需的超多文件。而且,照顧這些工人也是他們的責任。

Each migrant worker in Taiwan is attached to a specific broker who acts as their official representative with the employer and the government. Taiwan has more than 1,700 active registered broker firms, some bringing in laborers for over 200 manufacturers.
在台灣,每個移工都會綁定一個特定的仲介,仲介是他們跟雇主和政府打交道的官方代表。台灣現在有超過 1700 家合法登記的仲介公司在運作,有些仲介甚至幫超過 200 家製造業廠商引進勞工。

Rest of World discussed the broker system with more than 20 Filipino semiconductor workers and industry experts. The workers requested that their names not be used, fearing they could be sent home if identified. 
《Rest of World》這篇報導,找了超過二十位菲律賓半導體廠的移工和相關產業的專家來聊聊這套仲介系統。這些移工都要求匿名,怕身分曝光了會被遣送回國。

A kitchen scene with several people washing dishes and preparing food. The countertop is cluttered with pots, pans, and utensils, and there are large windows adorned with images of hot air balloons. Shelves above display various condiments and kitchen tools.
Michael Beltran/Rest of World
位於台中的這間移工庇護所,現在住著越來越多逃離晶片廠工作的菲律賓人。Michael Beltran/Rest of World 報導。

Many of these Filipino chip workers complained that brokers control too many aspects of their lives. They said the brokers reduced their take-home pay with fees, and acted as the agent of the company rather than of the employee. 
很多菲律賓晶片廠移工都抱怨,那些仲介把他們的生活管得死死的。他們說仲介會亂收費用,讓他們實際領到的薪水變少,而且仲介根本是站在公司那邊,不是幫他們說話。

Lennon Ying-Da Wang, director of Serve the People Association, another Filipino migrant shelter, said Taiwan’s labor recruitment system differs from that of other countries because migrant workers need a broker’s permission to do anything.
台灣的勞動招募制度,跟其他國家不太一樣。Serve the People Association 是另一個菲律賓移工的庇護所,他們的負責人 Lennon Ying-Da Wang 說,在台灣,移工什麼事情都需要仲介點頭同意。

“It gives businesses a channel to hire cheap laborers in a very short time,” Wang told Rest of World. “But the whole practice exacerbates the burden of the workers.”
王先生告訴 Rest of World:「這讓企業能夠在很短的時間內找到廉價勞工,」他說,「但這整套做法卻加重了工人的負擔。」

Taiwan’s global network of brokers has been ramping up efforts to recruit people for its round-the-clock AI chip production. Companies in Taiwan have recruited a record number of Filipinos to build chips recently, and are scheduled to hire another 20,000 this year, taking the total to nearly 100,000, according to the Philippine Migrant Workers Office in Taipei. 
台灣的仲介網絡在全球範圍內都在積極招募人力,以滿足不間斷的 AI 晶片生產需求。根據菲律賓駐台北海外移工辦事處的資料,台灣企業最近招聘了創紀錄數量的菲律賓人來生產晶片,今年預計還會再招聘 20,000 人,總數將接近 10 萬人。

The moment workers step off a plane in Taiwan, brokers line them up and check their identities even before they pass through immigration. They’re then stuffed into dormitories owned by broker agencies, with more than 10 people in a small room sometimes, often with strict curfews, the workers said.
那些移工啊,一腳踏進台灣,連過移民關之前,就被那些仲介排隊點名、檢查身份了。聽他們說,之後就被塞進仲介公司自己的宿舍,有時候一間小小房間就擠了十幾個人,門禁還超嚴格的。

Brokers charge a fixed monthly service fee and sometimes additional fees for rooms, meals, utilities and transportation, they said. While some tech companies subsidize the broker fees for their workers, many Filipinos said they lose around a fifth of their salary to brokers. 
他們說啊,這些仲介會收固定的月服務費,有時候連住宿、餐飲、水电瓦斯還有交通費都要另外收。雖然有些科技公司會幫員工補貼這筆仲介費,但很多菲律賓移工都說,他們薪水有差不多五分之一都這樣被仲介抽走了。

A Filipino migrant chip worker and former resident at the Taichung shelter, who asked to be called Luis, said he had to flee a job packing chips after his broker squeezed him for money, including abnormally high electricity bills. 
一位曾在台中安置中心住過的菲律賓移工、晶片廠員工,他希望大家叫他 Luis。他說他之前在晶片包裝廠工作,後來因為仲介一直跟他要錢,連電費都貴到離譜,實在是受不了,只好逃離那邊。

Luis shared his room with seven people, but each was still charged 3,000 Taiwanese dollars ($100) a month for electricity, nearly triple the average household bill in Taiwan, he said. His broker would never show him the bills, he said. 
Luis 說,他跟七個人擠一間房,但每個人光電費就要一個月 3000 元台幣(約 100 美元),這幾乎是台灣一般家庭平均電費的三倍。他說,他的仲介從來不給他看電費帳單。

“They’re all liars,” he said of brokers. “They probably pocketed hundreds of thousands just from our room.”

Brokers prioritize company interests because they earn more from employers than from the workers, said Gilda Banugan, chairperson of Taiwan’s chapter of Migrante, an international association of Filipino migrant workers. Brokers tend to support the company’s demands and pay less attention to what employees request, she said.  

“If a worker wants to speak up, the employer calls the broker, who then coerces the worker to get in line or resign,” she told Rest of World.

Another worker at the shelter, who asked to be called Julia, said she had been injured on the job and had to quit to get an operation and recover. She discovered that her broker had not paid for her insurance, so the money for her treatment had to come from her pocket and a charity. She said she didn’t dare complain because she needed the broker to get another job. 

“I’m too scared to run away,” Julia told Rest of World.

Champion Manpower Group, a top broker firm one worker complained about, said it doesn’t charge workers to help them find new jobs, and that if it discovered any brokers doing so, they would be fired. 

Champion takes care of workers, said Sam Lo, an assistant manager at the company.

“If a migrant worker gets into a situation in Taiwan, say, a traffic accident, or they get sick, or get pregnant, or are caught using drugs or drunk-driving, usually, our company’s staff are the first to respond,” he told Rest of World. “We take on that responsibility to look after them.”

A diverse group of people participating in a lively indoor dance activity, with hands raised and smiling faces. The participants include individuals of different backgrounds wearing casual clothes, and a festive atmosphere is suggested by decorations in the background.
Hsiuwen Liu/Rest of World

Two other broker firms that workers complained about declined to comment.

Manpower Agencies Association, a broker industry association group, did not respond to requests for comment. The Taiwan Semiconductor Industry Association declined to comment.

The Philippine government appreciates the efficiency of the broker system, said Manila’s Labor Attaché in Taipei, Cesar Chavez Jr. The best companies subsidize the fees, and laws protect Filipino workers, he told Rest of World

“We don’t mind if there is a broker as long as the worker will not pay for their charges,” he said. 

Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor has a 24-hour hotline for foreign worker complaints, and has received hundreds of complaints from foreign workers about access to documents. When necessary, the complaints are referred to local officials for investigation, a spokesperson told Rest of World.

The ministry also works with the countries that send laborers to ensure they are better briefed on what to expect, the spokesperson said. It also has social media and radio content in multiple languages to inform workers about their rights.

Still, when workers have disputes with management, brokers coach them not to file a formal complaint but instead request to return home or transfer to another company for “personal reasons,” the workers said.  

“Personal reasons is the number one excuse,” said Tajonera, the priest at the shelter. “It’s never the fault of the company or the employer. It’s always the worker’s fault.”

Meanwhile, workers said some brokers expect an under-the-table payment to expedite job placement or release key documents.  

Luis said one of his brokers once charged him a large sum to fast-track his job application at a tech factory. 

“I had no choice” but to pay, he said. “It’s part of their business.” 

Luis said his broker claimed to be working for Champion Manpower.

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Champion does not engage in such practices as it “operates on a zero-fee policy,” its assistant manager Lo said.

However, “scams are rampant in Taiwan,” he said. Some individuals have “impersonated our company to scam workers.”

Not all brokers expect bribes, and it is illegal to demand them, said May Chen, a manager at May God Human Resources, a brokerage agency.

“Unscrupulous brokers would say, ‘I can help you find a job, but I need to charge you a fee,’ or, ‘If you want to move to a new broker, you’ll have to pay a certain fee to get your documents, or else I won’t release them’,” she told Rest of World.  

Some workers are fleeing their brokers and working illegally. Taiwan’s undocumented labor force has nearly doubled since 2021, reaching a record high of 90,000 at the start of this year, according to the government. It is not clear how many of them work in the tech sector. 

One such undocumented worker said that, for years, he laminated printed circuit boards at a small electronics company. When his contract expired, his broker wouldn’t help him find a new job, so he had to start working illegally to survive. 

Dodging the authorities and looking over his shoulder while earning a living for his family seemed better than dealing with a broker, said the worker who asked not to be named, as he feared being deported.

“Better to be on my own,” he said.