Taiwan's handling of pandemic proves to be a foreign talent draw 02/12/2021 10:19 AM To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below. National Development Council Minister Kung Ming-hsin celebrates on Feb. 5 the issuance of the 2,000th Employment Gold Card in the three years. Taipei, Feb. 12 (CNA) The number of recipients of Taiwan's employment gold card, a special work and residency permit for highly skilled foreign talent, took a big jump in 2020, reflecting Taiwan's attractiveness as a safe haven amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. That year, a total of 1,399 foreign nationals received the card that serves as a work permit, resident visa, alien resident certificate and re-entry permit all in one, according to government statistics.