Every month, the National Immigration Agency (NIA) releases data on the number of foreign residents living in Taiwan. These data tables can be accessed here. Unfortunately, finding this information on the NIA’s website is not straightforward, and the presentation of the data is not conducive to quick searches or detailed analysis. To address this, I have analyzed the numbers for November 2024 (original data here) and would like to share some key insights. This post includes general information, maps, and infographics, followed by rankings of the top 10 nations per continent (jump to rankings). At the end of the post, you will find a comprehensive table containing all the data (jump to full table), allowing you to search for your home country and see how many compatriots are in Taiwan. Some of these figures might surprise you!
It is important to note that this data only accounts for legal residents in Taiwan, primarily those with an ARC (Alien Resident Certificate) or APRC (Alien Permanent Resident Certificate). However, the NIA website does not specify precisely which individuals fall under the category of “resident.” Additionally, many foreigners in Taiwan are on visitor visas or other visa types not included in these statistics, meaning the actual number of foreigners is likely higher. People from the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, and Macao are also excluded from this data, as they are categorized differently by the NIA. Similarly, dual citizens are probably not included, as Taiwanese holding another passport are considered Taiwanese rather than foreign nationals.
Proportion of foreign residents
As of November 2024, a total of 957,647 foreign residents were living in Taiwan, making up 4.1% of the total population. Compared to other Asian countries, this percentage is relatively high. For example: South Korea: 4.3%, Thailand: 3.8%, Japan: 2.7%, Philippines: 0.1%. However, compared to Europe (where the average is around 8%) or the United States (approximately 14%), Taiwan’s ratio is quite low.
Foreign nationals are not evenly distributed across Taiwan. The highest numbers reside in Hsinchu County and Taoyuan City, likely due to the presence of science parks and factories in these areas. In contrast, the lowest numbers are found in Kinmen and Taitung County.
Largest Groups of Foreign Residents
The largest groups of foreign residents in Taiwan are from Indonesia (316,561 people), Vietnam (286,696 people), and the Philippines (173,469 people). Nationals from these three countries account for 81% of all foreign residents in Taiwan. The following list of the top 20 largest groups represents 99% of all foreign nationals in Taiwan. It is also worth noting that 163 foreign residents in Taiwan are currently listed as stateless.
Even though these 20 countries dominate, Taiwan hosts a remarkably diverse range of foreigners. There is at least one person from nearly every country or region living in Taiwan. Exceptions include 19 countries: Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Angola, Cabo Verde, the Central African Republic, the Cook Islands, Comoros, Congo, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Djibouti, Eritrea, the Holy See, Mauritania, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Niue, Somalia, South Sudan, and Qatar, where no residents are currently recorded.
Male and Female Distribution
The NIA statistics also provide information on the gender distribution of foreign residents. For most nations, males constitute the majority. However, for certain countries, there are significantly more females than males in Taiwan. The distribution of foreign males and females also varies across regions. For some reason, there are more female foreigners in the north and east of Taiwan than in the central and southwest of the country.
It is important to note that these figures and charts about male/female distributions are limited to foreign nationals from countries with at least 100 residents in Taiwan. Including smaller groups could distort the data and make it less representative.
Conclusion
The data on foreign residents in Taiwan offers a fascinating glimpse into the diverse international community living on this island. While the majority hail from neighboring Asian nations, the presence of individuals from nearly every corner of the globe adds to Taiwan’s cultural richness. The uneven distribution of foreign nationals across the country reflects both economic factors and regional opportunities, providing a deeper understanding of Taiwan’s demographic landscape. By sharing these insights, I hope to foster a greater appreciation for the contributions and stories of Taiwan’s foreign residents. Whether you are a curious reader, a fellow expatriate, or someone exploring Taiwan’s multicultural society, these numbers tell a story worth discovering. Thank you for reading, and feel free to explore the complete data to find your own.
Data Disclaimer
All data has been carefully handled and analyzed to provide accurate insights. However, mistakes are always possible. If in doubt, please refer to the original data source provided by the National Immigration Agency for verification.
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Rankings
The following tables show the rankings of the top 10 foreign nationals for each continent.
Afrika Top 10
Americas Top 10
Asia Top 10
Europe Top 10
Oceania Top 10
Complete Table
Below is the complete table of foreign nationals in Taiwan, allowing you to explore the data in full detail.
Please note
- According to NIA people from the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, and Macao are not listed as foreign nationals in Taiwan. Therefore they are missing in this table.
- This table only contains the number of residents in Taiwan, people with other status are not listed. The true number of foreigners is higher.
- The assignment of countries to continents and regions follows the so-called M49 standard from the United Nations.
- Some official country names were shortened to keep the table legible.
- Data source: National Immigration Agency, Ministry of the Interior, Taiwan, as of November 2024