Taiwan departure checklist for working holiday makers

The moment your working holiday visa is approved, the countdown begins. But while most people are busy researching hostels and checking flight prices, the Taiwan-side admin quietly piles up. Miss a step and you could face unpaid insurance premiums, frozen bank transfers, or a salary that can't reach you. This guide covers the key items to tick off before you board.

National Health Insurance (NHI): the suspension system no longer exists

This is the most important recent change to know: Taiwan's NHI suspension and reinstatement system (停復保制度) was formally abolished on 23 December 2024.

Previously, anyone abroad for 6 months or more could apply to suspend their NHI coverage and stop paying premiums. Under the new rule, if you retain household registration (戶籍) in Taiwan, you must continue paying premiums regardless of where you live.

In practice, for a working holiday of 1–2 years most people keep their household registration, set up automatic premium payments before they leave, and return to full NHI coverage the moment they're back. Premiums are modest — roughly NT$800–1,200 per month for most dependents or district-enrolled individuals — and keeping coverage means there's no waiting period on your return.

The only way for NHI coverage to end while you're abroad is if your household registration is cancelled after 2+ years away (see the section on household registration below).

⚠️ Rules can vary by enrolment category. Confirm your specific situation with the NHI Administration before you leave (toll-free 0800-030-598).

Labour Insurance (勞保) and Labour Pension (勞退): resign, de-enrol, but lose nothing

When you resign before your working holiday, your employer handles your labour insurance de-enrolment automatically. There's nothing extra you need to do.

A few things worth understanding:

• Labour insurance seniority (年資) is preserved: your accumulated years of coverage are saved and continue accumulating the next time you join a labour insurance scheme in Taiwan.
• Your individual labour pension account is untouched: the 6% employer contributions in your personal Labour Pension account belong to you. The balance earns returns while you're away.
• Do not maintain coverage through an occupational union abroad: trying to keep labour insurance active via an occupational union while working or living long-term overseas is not permitted. The Bureau of Labor Insurance can retroactively cancel such coverage, and paid premiums are not refunded.

National Pension Insurance (國民年金): check if it applies to you

Once you leave labour insurance (upon resignation), Taiwanese citizens aged 25 or over who are not enrolled in agricultural insurance and have no other qualifying employment become subject to National Pension Insurance — even if they are about to go abroad.

For a 1–2 year working holiday, most people simply continue paying the relatively low monthly National Pension premium (around NT$1,000/month), preserving their pension credits. Others de-enrol by transferring their household registration out (see below). Contact the Bureau of Labor Insurance (02-2396-1266) before departure to confirm your position.

Household registration (戶籍): what happens after 2 years abroad

Under Taiwan's Household Registration Act, if you remain abroad continuously for 2 years without returning, the local household administration office will process an overseas household de-registration (戶籍遷出) on your behalf.

The knock-on effects of de-registration:

• NHI coverage automatically ends from the de-registration date — and so do premium obligations.
• National Pension Insurance also terminates upon de-registration.
• Voting rights are suspended until you re-register your household on return.
• Reinstatement timeline: if you re-register within 2 years of de-registration, NHI coverage resumes immediately. If you return more than 4 years after de-registration, you must wait 6 months from re-registration before NHI kicks in again.

Most 1–2 year working holiday makers will not hit the 2-year threshold. But if you plan to extend your stay beyond 2 years — for example by securing a second-year or third-year visa — factor this in before you leave.

Banking and foreign exchange: set this up before you fly

Banking issues are the most common source of frustration in the first week abroad. Handle these before departure:

• Activate online and mobile banking: make sure you can log in from overseas and that your OTP SMS number is the SIM card you're taking.
• Check your non-designated transfer limit: Taiwanese online banking caps transfers to non-saved accounts at roughly NT$10,000–30,000 per day by default. Raise the limit at a branch, or add your key overseas accounts to the saved list before you leave.
• Enable international ATM withdrawals: some debit and credit cards have overseas cash withdrawal disabled by default. Activate it via your bank's app or a quick phone call.
• Exchange strategy: carry a small amount of local currency for the first few days, but large-scale conversion is usually cheaper through a real-exchange-rate app like Tern than through the spread at a Taiwanese bank counter.
• Consider opening a foreign-currency savings account: if you plan to wire wages back to Taiwan, having a USD or AUD account ready in advance simplifies the process.

How Tern helps

All the Taiwan admin above needs to be sorted before you leave — but once you land, the first practical step is having a local account that can receive your wages. Tern is a financial app built specifically for working holiday makers: open an account before you depart with just your passport and working holiday visa, no Australian address required.

Once your account is open, you can top it up from your Taiwanese bank account at the real mid-market exchange rate — no wide bank spreads. Use your Tern card for ATM withdrawals and everyday spending without worrying about overseas transaction fees.

Tern is currently in early access. If you're heading off soon, register your interest to get account access ahead of your departure date.