Hiring and Managing Japanese Chefs in Taiwan: Visa, Salary and Retention (2026)

This guide answers the questions restaurant owners in Taiwan ask us most often before hiring a Japanese chef from Japan. Salary ranges reflect the positions Washoku Agent has handled; visa facts come from official government pages, checked on 2026-10-29.

How much do Japanese chefs earn in Taiwan?

Based on the positions Washoku Agent has handled in Taiwan, advertised annual packages for Japanese chefs typically fall between JPY 6 and 8 million when converted, with the highest advertised packages reaching around JPY 9 million. In local terms, recent offers have been in the order of NTD 150,000 per month. These are offers at the time of advertising; the final package depends on city, concept and seniority.

Which roles and restaurant types hire Japanese chefs in Taiwan?

The demand we see in Taiwan is concentrated in a few role types and concepts. The most common roles are head chef and sous chef positions, and the most common concepts are sushi, kaiseki and Japanese cuisine.

Do Japanese chefs need to speak English, and is housing provided?

A minority of our listings included housing or a housing allowance.

Which visa lets a restaurant in Taiwan sponsor a Japanese chef?

An employment permit for specialized or technical work, applied for online by the restaurant. The Ministry of Labor lists 'chef work in the food and beverage industry' as a designated category, so an ordinary restaurant qualifies as a sponsor if it passes the company revenue or capital test. Taiwan also has a working holiday agreement with Japan for chefs aged 18 to 30.

• Salary floor (Ministry of Labor announcement of 14 August 2017, confirmed current 13 May 2026): NTD 47,971 a month. No chef-specific figure.
• Chef qualification: a related bachelor's degree plus 2 years of experience, a master's degree, or 5 or more years of related experience with distinguished work. No language test.
• Employer test (Article 36 of the review standards): average revenue of NTD 10,000,000 in the last year or last three years, or, for a company under one year old, paid-in capital of NTD 5,000,000. Case-by-case approval is possible.
• Fee NTD 500; 7 working days for a complete online application; permit up to 3 years, extendable in the 4 months before expiry.
• After the permit: resident visa in Japan (JPY 10,100, about one week), Alien Resident Certificate within 30 days of entry (NTD 1,000 per year), permanent residence after 5 years with 183 days a year in Taiwan.

1. Check that the restaurant company passes the revenue or capital test and has a corporate certificate for the online portal.
2. The employer files the permit application on ezwp.wda.gov.tw with the contract, the chef's passport, diploma or experience letters, and pays NTD 500.
3. The Ministry of Labor issues the permit (7 working days when complete), valid for up to 3 years.
4. The chef applies for a resident visa at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan (JPY 10,100, about one week).
5. Entry, start of work, and Alien Resident Certificate application within 30 days (NTD 1,000 per year, 10 working days).

Which permit lets a Taiwan restaurant sponsor a Japanese chef?

An employment permit for specialized or technical work under Article 46, paragraph 1, item 1 of the Employment Service Act, applied for by the employer. The Ministry of Labor has designated 'chef work in the food and beverage industry' (從事餐飲業之廚師工作) as one of the 'other designated' categories (A15) of specialized or technical work, so an ordinary restaurant can sponsor a chef. Hotels have a second route under the tourism category (A02) for cooking skills that are lacking in Taiwan. There is no quota and no labour market test.

What does the chef have to show, and what is the minimum salary?

The chef must meet one of four qualification routes in the review standards: a professional licence under Taiwan's examination law; a master's degree, or a bachelor's degree in a related field plus 2 years of related work experience; at least 1 year with a multinational company that assigns the chef to Taiwan; or, without a degree, 5 or more years of related work experience with original or distinguished work. Most Japan-trained chefs use the degree-plus-2-years route or the 5-year experience route. The monthly average salary must be at least NTD 47,971. That figure was set by a Ministry of Labor announcement of 14 August 2017, effective 1 August 2017, and the ministry's FAQ confirmed it as current on 13 May 2026. There is no chef-specific threshold and no language test.

What does the restaurant have to show?

Under Article 36 of the review standards, a Taiwan company established for less than one year needs paid-in capital of at least NTD 5,000,000, or revenue of at least NTD 10,000,000, or import and export of USD 1,000,000, or agency commission of USD 400,000. A company established for one year or more needs average revenue of at least NTD 10,000,000 in the most recent year or the last three years (or the equivalent trade or commission figures). A Taiwan branch of a foreign company meets the same tests with operating funds in Taiwan in place of paid-in capital. The ministry can approve an employer that does not meet the figures on a case-by-case basis for substantial contribution to the economy or special circumstances. The application is filed online only, through the Foreign Professionals Work Permit portal (ezwp.wda.gov.tw), with a corporate or organisation certificate.

How much are the fees, how long does it take, and how long can the chef stay?

The employer pays a review fee of NTD 500 per application (fee standard amended 31 December 2025). The Ministry of Labor states that a complete online application is reviewed within 7 working days from the day after receipt (12 working days for the paper route, which is only allowed in exceptional cases). The permit is issued for up to 3 years and the employer may apply to extend it within the 4 months before expiry. The chef then applies for a resident visa in Japan (JPY 10,100 at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, about one week, and the permit must have more than 6 months left). After entry the chef applies for an Alien Resident Certificate within 30 days (NTD 1,000 per year of validity, 10 working days, valid for up to 3 years). After 5 years of continuous legal residence with at least 183 days in Taiwan each year, the chef can apply for permanent residence (NTD 10,000); the National Immigration Agency accepts a salary of twice the basic wage in the most recent year or NTD 5,000,000 of assets in Taiwan as proof of means. The 'time' estimate on this page adds the official steps (about 3 to 5 weeks when documents are complete) to the chef's notice period in Japan.

Is there a working holiday route?

Yes. Japanese nationals aged 18 to 30 at the time of application can obtain a Taiwan working holiday visa free of charge for a stay of up to one year (a 180-day multiple-entry visa extended once in Taiwan). Since the revision of the scheme in 2026 a person may apply a first or a second time. The applicant must live in Japan, hold a bank balance of at least JPY 250,000 and one year of travel health insurance, and the holiday must be the main purpose with work incidental to it. The visa cannot be renewed beyond one year or changed to another status inside Taiwan, so a permanent kitchen hire still needs the employer's permit.

Rules change. We confirm the current requirements with the employer before an offer.

Where do restaurants in Taiwan find Japanese chefs?

Taiwan has the largest count of Japanese restaurants of any market in this series (7,100 in the agriculture ministry's November 2025 count) and a Japanese resident community of about 21,000 people, but no Japanese-community job board that carries chef ads at scale. Owners work the three Chinese-language job banks, the Japan-side career sites, and word of mouth inside the Japanese restaurant community. No government advert is required before a permit application.

Washoku Agent sits alongside these channels as the specialist route: we hold a registered pool of Japanese chefs, screen for technique and willingness to relocate, interpret interviews and manage the paperwork. You can run local channels in parallel and use us for the chef you cannot find locally.

Hire from Japan or from the local market in Taiwan?

Taiwan gives you two routes. The employer's permit for specialized or technical work covers chefs at ordinary restaurants (the Ministry of Labor's A15 category), with a salary floor of NTD 47,971 a month and a company revenue or capital test. The working holiday agreement with Japan lets chefs aged 18 to 30 work for up to a year without a permit. Local hiring draws on about 21,000 Japanese residents (February 2026) and on Taiwan-trained cooks from the job banks.

Common hiring challenges in Taiwan, and how to keep the chef

What owners and chefs say in public, in their own words:

Not ready to hire full-time? Start with a project: a Japanese chef can develop a menu or train your team for a few weeks. See how a project works.

How do restaurants in Taiwan hire a Japanese chef through Washoku Agent?

Frequently asked questions