Taiwan is set to join the growing list of East Asian countries offering digital nomad visas.

In an announcement last Thursday, National Development Council (NDC) Minister Paul Liu said he hopes the six-month visa will attract global talent.

Rather than rivalling recently launched digital nomad visas in Japan, South Korea and Thailand, Taiwan’s visa could complement them.

For example, remote workers could head to Taiwan after using Japan’s non-extendable six-month visa.

EU tourists currently enjoy 90-day visa-free access to Taiwan but they are not permitted to work during this time.

Liu also announced plans to make it easier for skilled, high-earning foreign workers to gain permanent residence in the country.

Where else in Asia can digital nomads get a remote work visa?

It’s been a good year so far for remote workers with their sights set on Asia.

South Korea’s upcoming digital nomad visa is expected to be valid for up to two years, with a key goal of boosting tourism in the country. 

The flight between Taiwan in Taipei and Seoul in South Korea takes less than three hours.

Japan’s capital Tokyo, just under three-and-a-half hours from Taipei, is hoping to boost its economy with its six-month digital nomad visa. It’s available to 49 countries and territories, including EU member states.

Thailand’s long-awaited digital nomad visa finally launched last week, granting remote workers access to its buzzing capital and pristine beaches for up to one year. Bangkok is just under four hours from Taipei by plane.

Further details of Taipei’s digital nomad visa, including who can apply and the income requirements, are yet to be announced. However, Liu said the country hopes to retain at least 10 per cent of the foreign talent who take it up, Taipei Times reports.

What does Taiwan have to offer digital nomads?

With a subtropical climate, beautiful beaches, scenic hikes and thousands of temples, there are plenty of reasons to visit Taiwan.

The island nation is about half the size of Scotland, meaning it’s easy to travel from the bright lights of its capital city to its lush national parks.

This means you could clock hours in one of Taipei’s lively coworking spaces in the morning and fill up on tasty street food for lunch before heading to Yangmingshan National Park – just 30 minutes away – for a scenic hike.

Exploring further afield is a breeze, too, with Taiwan’s high-speed railway connecting the capital to the southern harbour city of Kaohsiung.

Taiwan is also one of the safest countries in the world for LGBTQ+ travellers, scoring highly on anti-discrimination legislation and transgender rights. It became the first country in the region to legalise same-sex marriage in 2019, followed by Nepal and Thailand this year.