October 1, 2025
“I’m sorry, but we don’t take care of foreigners,” said the government hotline receptionist to Katy Ho Boyden (何靜慧) six years ago.
Boyden’s U.K.-born husband, Michael — who had already been living in Taiwan for thirty years and was a distinguished business leader — was diagnosed in 2019 with atypical parkinsonism. Michael Boyden’s health was rapidly deteriorating, and Katy Boyden was quickly running out of resources for home care and disability assistance benefits. But instead of receiving benefits already available to Taiwanese citizens, the Boydens were denied those same rights.
“I collapsed on the floor crying,” said Katy Boyden, tearfully, thinking of that day. “‘How could you label him as a foreigner… he’s my husband.’”
Those rights were finally enshrined into law this summer this summer thanks to amendments passed in Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan updating Articles 28 & 29 of the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals (《外國專業人才延攬及僱用法》). The reforms were led by Crossroads, a Taiwan non-profit organization, and Legislative Yuan Member Ting-Yu Wang (王定宇) of Tainan.
Crossroads founder David Chang (張代偉), Legislative Member Wang, and patient rights advocates gathered at the Community Services Center on September 25 for a media event commemorating the passage of these important provisions for foreign nationals in Taiwan. Now, permanent residents who have lived in Taiwan for over 10 years will be able to apply for disability certification and access long-term care services.
Katy Boyden was among the special guests at the Center providing touching testimonies on the hardships foreign nationals face in Taiwan when attempting to access disability benefits for themselves and their loved ones. Also speaking were South African national Andrew Klerck and Canadian national Carrie Kellenberger. Representing the Center was Ruu-Tian Lawrence (張汝恬), chair of the Center board of directors.
“It’s touching, but it’s not right,” said Legislator Wang, recalling the plight of another international community member, Oliver, a French national whose extended family had rallied to help him because he was also denied disability benefits. “He’d been in Taiwan for 18 years. Pays the tax. Contribute to this society. Helping Taiwan’s economy in many ways.”
“Somebody like me, we are born [as] Taiwanese. Somebody like you choose to be Taiwanese,” Wang spoke with emphasis. “[Someone like Oliver] chose to be in Taiwan. We can’t expect people to dedicate their energy in their working years — but then reject them and tell them to go home in their olden, sickened years… So, those who choose to be Taiwanese, when they are aging, when they have long-term [illness], we should look after them like family. That’s Taiwan.”
The emotional weight and logistical pressure in caring for a loved one was not lost on Center board chair Ruu-tian Lawrence, whose husband, Chris, had been in hospice with brain cancer and passed away in 2010.
“I know what disabled means. I took care of my husband for 419 days,” said Lawrence.
Connecting the day’s theme to the Community Services Center’s founding mission to care for the emotional, cultural, and practical adjustments of Taiwan’s foreign resident community, Lawrence remarked that “we will do the best we can to spread this incredible, great achievement, movement, and advancement for people who are quote-unquote ‘foreigner’ — and yet they really are our family members in Taiwan.”
