TALENT TAIWAN Opens Silicon Valley Branch, Its First Overseas Location
Updated: 59 minutes ago
New Palo Alto hub connects Bay Area professionals with career, startup and investment opportunities in Taiwan
September 25, 2026 PALO ALTO, California: TALENT TAIWAN, Taiwan's national office for international talent, officially opened its Silicon Valley Branch on Friday in Palo Alto. The Branch is TALENT TAIWAN's first location outside Taiwan and places its talent recruitment efforts in the world's densest concentration of technology companies and venture capital.
The opening signals a shift in approach for the Taiwan government: rather than waiting for global professionals to discover Taiwan, it is building a permanent presence in the community where many of them already work.
“Silicon Valley is one of the world’s leading centers for technology and talent, so instead of waiting for talent to come to Taiwan, we take action and reach out to global talent. So our slogan is, ‘Your Friend from Taiwan, Right in the Valley.’ We hope to connect with more talent and communities here in Silicon Valley. The Employment Gold Card is an important way to attract international professionals. It is a VIP pass to Taiwan, and today I’m happy to present a Gold Card to Michael Foley, a senior software engineer at Salesforce. So today is just the beginning, and we look forward to stronger connections between Taiwan and Silicon Valley,” said Chun-Hsien Yeh, Minister of the National Development Council. “As a California native who moved back to Taiwan, I’ve had the opportunity to see both sides of this connection,” said Jonathan Liao, Managing Director of TALENT TAIWAN. “We are here to build more bridges between Taiwan and Silicon Valley and help people discover the opportunities Taiwan has to offer. Whether you are a professional, founder, entrepreneur, student, or someone looking to explore your next career opportunity, our Silicon Valley Branch is here to be a point of contact and help connect you with Taiwan.”
Leaders from government, industry and academia
Guests at the ceremony included Chia-Lin, Yang, Deputy Minister of Digital Affairs; Tsung-Tsong Wu, Chairman of the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI); Jamie Lin, member of Taiwan's National AI Strategy Special Committee; David Wu, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco; Dr. Michael C. Lu, Dean of the UC Berkeley School of Public Health; and Tsung-Ching, Wu, Chief International Officer of the Asia Silicon Valley & AI Strategy Agency. Leaders from Silicon Valley's academic, technology and engineering communities also attended.
During the ceremony, Minister Yeh presented an Employment Gold Card to Michael Foley, Senior Software Engineer at Salesforce.
The Taiwan Employment Gold Card
Jonathan Liao, Managing Director of TALENT TAIWAN, introduced guests to the Taiwan Employment Gold Card, the centerpiece of Taiwan's talent program. The Gold Card combines a work permit, resident visa, Alien Resident Certificate and re-entry permit in a single document. Unlike a conventional work visa, it requires no employer sponsorship. Holders are free to take a job, work part-time, consult or start a company, and those who meet residency requirements may apply for permanent residency. Taiwan had issued more than 17,000 Gold Cards as of July 2026.
Liao pointed to the first Gold Card holder, YouTube co-founder Steve Chen, who relocated his family to Taiwan during the pandemic. Chen has cited Taiwan's safety as a major factor in the move, giving his children a secure environment in which to grow up, while the Gold Card gave him the flexibility to structure his work and life in Taiwan and to collaborate in person with Taiwanese companies.
A national mission: a second home for global talent
The NDC established TALENT TAIWAN, formally the International Talent Taiwan Office, in November 2023 as a one-stop national platform for attracting, developing and retaining international talent. Its goal is to make Taiwan a second home where global professionals can settle with confidence.
TALENT TAIWAN's multilingual teams assist with visas and career matching as well as the practical side of relocation, including housing, banking and children's schooling. With service hubs in Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung, it has supported professionals from more than 100 countries.
Why talent matters to Taiwan
Taiwan sits at the heart of the global technology supply chain, from advanced semiconductors and precision manufacturing to AI hardware and advanced electronics. As these industries scale, access to talent has become the deciding factor in the next stage of growth. Taiwan's key industries are competing globally for senior engineers and executives, with sustained demand in semiconductors and rising demand in AI and advanced engineering.
For Taiwan, attracting experienced engineers, researchers, entrepreneurs and business leaders, and giving them a first-rate place to work and live, is not just a talent policy. It is a national strategy for keeping Taiwan at the center of the global technology industry.
Why Silicon Valley
The Bay Area is home to a large community of Taiwanese American professionals, top engineering talent, venture investors focused on Asia, and senior executives in AI, cloud computing and semiconductors, all fields with deep ties to Taiwan. Until now, most engagement with this community took place remotely or through visiting delegations. With a permanent Branch, TALENT TAIWAN joins the Bay Area's professional networks directly, giving anyone considering Taiwan a place to get first-hand answers about working, building a company, investing and living there.
What the Silicon Valley Branch offers
Up-to-date information on Taiwan's talent recruitment policies and programs
Direct access to TALENT TAIWAN's service teams and advisors in Taiwan for relocation consultations
Support, together with Startup Island TAIWAN, for Bay Area companies, founders and investors expanding to Taiwan
Community events and technology meetups linking Silicon Valley professionals with Taiwanese companies, research institutions and startups
Two-way exchange of talent and knowledge between the Silicon Valley and Taiwan technology ecosystems
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About TALENT TAIWAN
TALENT TAIWAN (International Talent Taiwan Office) was established by Taiwan's National Development Council in November 2023 to attract global talent to Taiwan and help international professionals, entrepreneurs and their families work, live and thrive there. Learn more at talent.nat.gov.tw.
Media Contacts
English media: John Huang, john@sparknify.com, +1-415-340-0968
Chinese media: Chanel Chan, Chanel@sparknify.com, +1-510-710-5205
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