THE TAIPEI REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IN THE EU AND BELGIUM AND THE
BELGIAN OFFICE, TAIPEI, hereinafter referred to as “ the
Signatories ”, ANXIOUS to promote close co-operation between
the Signatories, WISHING to promote opportunities for their
youth to appreciate each other ’ s culture and way of life by
taking a holiday during which they have the possibility of
holding casual paid employment in order to supplement the
financial resources available to them, CONVINCED of the value of
facilitating these youth exchanges, HAVE COME TO THE FOLLOWING
AGREEMENT:
Paragraph 1
1 The Signatories decide to create a Working Holiday Program
designed to allow their youth, as individuals, to stay in the
other jurisdiction for the purpose of holidaying with the
possibility of holding casual paid employment in order to
supplement the financial resources available to them.
2 The young persons who meet the conditions of this Agreement
will submit their application to the respective offices
responsible for immigration matters, that is, the Taipei
Representative Office in the EU and Belgium, or the Belgian
Office, Taipei.
Applicants will meet the following requirements:
(a) satisfy the eligibility and other criteria set out in the
immigration legislation and policies of both jurisdictions
with regard to any criteria not set out in subparagraphs b)
to k);
(b) have reached the full age of 18 years, and not be more than
30 years of age, on the date the application is submitted;
(c) have no accompanying dependant or dependants;
(d) not have previously benefited from this Program;
(e) possess a Belgian passport or a passport issued by the
competent authority in Taiwan which includes an identity
number. The passports must be valid for at least fifteen
months on the day the visa is issued;
(f) have a valid return ticket or sufficient resources to
purchase one;
(g) have sufficient financial resources to provide for their
needs at the beginning of their stay, as determined by each
Signatory;
(h) have taken out all-risk insurance for the period for which
they are authorized to stay, covering them for accidents at
work and for healthcare, including medical cost,
hospitalization and repatriation, for the full duration of
their stay;
(i) submit a medical certificate proving that they are not
suffering from any disease or infirmity that may endanger
public health, order or security;
(j) produce a certificate of good conduct;
(k) prove to the visa officer that their primary objective is to
holiday and that work is only a secondary objective and not
the main reason for the visit;
(l) have a sufficient knowledge of English or of one of the
national languages of the Signatories ’ jurisdiction;
(m) pay the required fees; and
(n) be domiciled in one of the Signatories ’ jurisdiction at
the time of the application.
Paragraph 2
1. Each Signatory, in accordanc with this Agreement, will allow
the participants who meet the requirements set out in
paragraph 1, to enter its jurisdiction under cover of a
multiple entry visa. The visa delivered for entry into
Belgium is valid for a period of maximum twelve months.
Belgian participants will initially receive a six month visa
which will be extended with an additional six months.
2. Participants may only benefit from this Agreement once. The
duration of their stay will not exceed the authorized period
of twelve months and the purpose of their stay will not be
subject to any change during this period.
Paragraph 3
1 Upon arrival in Belgium, participants must register with the
municipal authority (commune/gemeente) where they take up
residence within eight days of their arrival. The residence
permit granted by Belgium will allow the holder, following the
completion of registration requirements at the relevant
municipal administration, to reside temporarily in Belgium for
a period not exceeding twelve months. The permit will also
allow multiple entries into Belgium during this period. The
residence permit will allow the holder of a valid travel
document to circulate within the territories of the Schengen
Member States in accordance with the Schengen regulations.
2 Participants will be exempt from the obligation to hold a work
permit to exercise an activity as a salaried worker. They will
only be permitted to engage in temporary employment during
their visit and may not work for more than six months.
3 Participants will not be permitted to engage in any study or
training for more than six months.
Paragraph 4
1. Holders of a Belgian passport to whom a working holiday visa
has been issued will automatically be allowed to work and
reside temporarily in the host jurisdiction for the duration
of their authorized stay.
2. Participants will be exempt from the obligation to hold a
work permit to exercise an activity as a salaried worker.
They will only be permitted to engage in temporary employment
during their visit and may not work for more than six months.
3. Participants will not be permitted to engage in any study or
training for more than six months.
Paragraph 5
Participants of the Working Holiday Program will comply with the
legislation in force in the host jurisdiction, particularly
concerning the practice of regulated professions.
Paragraph 6
1 Participants will be treated in the same way as individuals
from the host jurisdiction as far as the enforcement of laws
and regulations is concerned.
2 When participants are employed, the laws and regulations of
the host jurisdiction concerning terms and conditions of work,
remuneration, safety and hygiene in employment will apply.
3 Participants and their employers will comply with the
regulations of the host jurisdiction in matters relating to
social security.
4 Participants will not engage in employment that is contrary to
the purposes of this Agreement.
5 The Signatories will encourage the appropriate organizations
in the respective host jurisdictions to lend their support to
the implementation of this Agreement and particularly to give
relevant information to participants.
Paragraph 7
1 Either Signatory may refuse to approve any particular
application it receives.
2 Either Signatory may, consistent with its own legislation,
refuse the entry into its jurisdiction of any participant whom
it may consider undesirable, or remove from its jurisdiction
any participant who has obtained entry under this Agreement.
Paragraph 8
1. The minimum amount of resources required under Paragraph 1,
section 2. g), will be set by mutual agreement and via
written exchanges between the Signatories.
2. The number of participants under this Agreement will be
counted from the date this Agreement comes into effect until
the end of the current year, and then annually from 1 January
until 31 December.
3. When this Agreement comes into effect, up to 200 participants
per annum from each jurisdiction will be allowed to benefit
from it.
4. The Signatories may determine annually and on the basis of
reciprocity, via written exchanges, the number of individuals
that will be allowed to benefit from the application of this
Agreement.
Paragraph 9
1 This Agreement will come into effect on the date of the latter
Signatory informing the other Signatory to that extent.
2 This Agreement will remain in effect until terminated by
either Signatory giving three months ’ written notice to the
other Signatory.
3 Each Signatory may temporarily suspend the application of this
Agreement giving three months ’ written notice to the other
Signatory.
4 Termination or temporary suspension of this Agreement will not
affect the right to stay of persons already accepted into the
Working Holiday Program.
5 This Agreement may be amended at any time by written agreement
between the Signatories.
The foregoing record represents the agreement reached between
the Taipei Representative Office in the EU and Belgium and the
Belgian Office, Taipei on matters referred to therein.
Signed at Taipei, on Wednesday,27th February 2013, and at
Brussels, on Tuesday,5th March,2013, in duplicate, in the
English language
For the Taipei For the Belgian Office,
Representative Office in Taipei Dicector
the EU and Belgium
Reprsesntative
Kuoyu Tung Caroline VERMEULEN