Starting a Business · Taiwan
Starting a Business - Taiwan
Taiwan permits foreign nationals to establish companies and hold 100% equity in most sectors, subject to a mandatory Foreign Investment Approval (FIA) from the MOEA's Department of Investment Review before incorporation. A 'Negative List' prohibits or restricts foreign participation in sectors including certain telecoms, broadcasting, agriculture, and legal/accounting services. The end-to-end process—from name reservation through tax registration—typically takes 4–8 weeks and is partially managed through the MOEA's online One-Stop Portal.
Foreign investors must obtain FIA from the MOEA Department of Investment Review prior to incorporating and remitting capital. This pre-approval step is mandatory and unique to foreign applicants; it verifies the nature and amount of capital contribution.
The Negative List for Investment by Overseas Compatriots and Foreign Nationals classifies certain industries as Prohibited or Restricted. Restricted sectors include wireless and fixed-line telecoms (49% direct FDI cap; 60% total foreign shareholding cap), cable TV, satellite broadcasting, certain agriculture, husbandry, fishing, forestry, transportation, and professional services such as law and accounting.
Taiwan imposes no statutory minimum paid-in capital for most company types. However, if a foreign national requires a work permit as company manager, capital must be at least NTD 500,000 (~USD 15,000). Capital must be remitted and verified by a Taiwan-licensed CPA before incorporation is completed.
The process involves: (1) Chinese company name reservation with MOEA, (2) FIA from DIR/MOEA, (3) inward capital remittance and CPA verification, (4) adoption of articles of incorporation, (5) incorporation registration with MOEA, (6) concurrent tax, labor insurance, and pension registration. The MOEA One-Stop Portal handles most steps online. Total timeline is typically 4–8 weeks; subsidiaries may take 68–88 days.
Outside restricted and prohibited sectors, foreign nationals may own 100% of a Taiwan company. Taiwan lifted the general cap on total individual foreign shareholding in public companies in December 2000. Foreign-invested enterprises receive national treatment equivalent to locally-owned firms.
The MOEA's Investment Commission has been drafting amendments to the Statute for Investment by Foreign Nationals that would replace the pre-investment FIA requirement with a post-investment reporting system for investments under USD 1 million in non-restricted sectors. Pre-approval would remain mandatory for restricted industries and larger investments.
Machine-assisted translation · verified 5/24/2026 · orientation, not legal advice. English version →