Taiwan grants pandemic subsidies to 600,000 self-employed

This move will benefit 600,000 labourers who were ineligible for previous coronavirus cash relief schemes, said a Cabinet official. 

The subsidies for the two groups of self-employed persons were included in a NT$260 billion (US$9.39 billion) relief package to be approved by the Cabinet.  

The first group consists of self-employed people with an insured income of less than NT$24,000 (US$867) per month and who had no insured salary last year or were otherwise ineligible for stimulus benefits. This group of around 100,000, who recently joined the workforce, would receive a one-off stimulus payment of NT$30,000 (US$1,084). 

The second group are the self-employed or those who do not have regular employment and earn an insured salary of over NT$24,000 (US$867) per month. They will receive one-off payments of under NT$30,000 (US$1,084). People in this group would include market vendors and painters.  

The Cabinet is expected to approve and give the full details of the NT$260 billion (US$9.39 billion) relief package, which also includes NT$25 billion (US$903 million) in subsidies for families with young children. 

READ: Taiwan approves US$30.4 billon for pandemic relief

The Legislature had earlier passed a bill that doubled the cap for the government’s overall budget from NT$420 billion (US$15 billion) to NT$840 billion (US$30 billion) for COVID-19 relief in the long term, according to Focus Taiwan.