aggravated social discrimination and the stigma against migrant workers.6 8. Although the government’s quarantine policy attempted to balance epidemic prevention needs with safety, and specified that accommodation and transportation costs for quarantined migrant workers were to be borne by the employer, there were still cases in which employers and agents failed to implement the policy or to raise awareness among migrant workers of their rights. Representatives from civil society organizations and migrant domestic workers’ unions stated at discussion meetings that due to the working hours of the Ministry of Labor’s (MOL) quarantine staff, migrant workers could not purchase red-eye flights or low-cost airline tickets for early morning arrivals as they had in the past, resulting in an increased financial burden; in September 2022, the MOL announced that migrant workers entering Taiwan could not use quarantine taxis due to the increase in arrivals and had to take either an agent’s or employer’s chartered vehicle; on October 13 of the same year, border controls were relaxed to 0+7 (no quarantine but seven days of self-monitoring), but migrant caregivers were still required to stay in hotels or dormitories for self-monitored prevention, resulting in differential treatment without proper explanation.7 9. During the NHRC’s visit to non-governmental placement organizations for migrant workers’ children, it was reported that during COVID-19, some legal migrant workers were unable to take their children back to their home countries 6 7 Control Yuan investigation report approved on July 27, 2022 (111 社調 0022) Sources include: Summary of NHRC discussion meetings with civil society organizations (2022, Nov 3). Migrant Empowerment Network in Taiwan (2023, Feb 20). Press Release: Lifting of Pandemic Measures Discriminatory, Migrant Workers’ Return to Taiwan Difficult; Foreign Workers News Agency (2022, Sep 2). Transportation of migrant workers to quarantine hotels is prohibited from using quarantine taxis until September 16 ; Foreign Workers News Agency (2022, Sep 13). Transportation of migrant workers to quarantine hotels will be arranged via self-pick-up or bus from September 17 ; Workforce Development Agency, MOL (2022, Oct 7). Press Release: Revised Measures for Migrant Workers Entering Taiwan after Launch of New 0+7 Policy from October 13 . The revised measures still stipulated that employers or agents should arrange transportation or hire buses to take migrant workers entering Taiwan to the registered self-monitoring prevention sites. If an employer arranged for migrant caregivers to stay in a hotel for self-monitoring prevention, the employer would receive a subsidy of 50% of daily lodging expenses per person, up to a maximum of NT$ 1,250 per day. 10