Will the NT$16,000 National Travel Card Allowance Be Converted to Cash? Personnel Administration Bureau’s Latest Response Revealed – Eligibility and Scope Explained

In recent years, issues such as civil servant staffing shortages, workplace conditions, and compensation have attracted widespread attention. At last month’s Executive Yuan meeting, a 4% across-the-board salary adjustment for military personnel, civil servants, and educators was approved for the coming fiscal year. When combined with various allowances, non-supervisory civil servants could see their total compensation increase by up to 9.98%, while supervisory staff may receive up to 11.56%.

Meanwhile, the National Travel Card (NTC) system, which has been in place for over 20 years, has also sparked renewed debate. People Party legislator Chen Chao-tzu recently called for civil servant overtime pay to "return to cash payments," arguing that frontline workers should not bear the cost of national policy—even if it's meant to boost tourism.

In response, the Taiwan Civil Service Reform Alliance (Gonggelì), a long-time advocate for civil servant rights, revealed on Facebook on August 11 that a citizen-led proposal to abolish the NTC system had once again been rejected by the Executive Yuan's Personnel Administration Bureau.

What Is the National Travel Card? How Much Is the Allowance? Can the General Public Apply?

The Executive Yuan introduced the National Travel Card in 2003, linking vacation subsidies with domestic tourism and consumption to encourage civil servants to take time off while stimulating local tourism and internal demand. Key regulations include:

- **Subsidy Amount**: Under the 2020 revised system, the maximum annual subsidy is NT$16,000, divided into two parts: NT$8,000 for “tourism-related spending” and NT$8,000 for “flexible use.” - **Eligible Recipients**: The NTC is issued in credit card form. Since 2014, members of the general public can apply, but civil servants’ eligibility for vacation subsidies and reimbursement rules are governed separately. - **Usage Scope**: Tourism-related spending includes travel agencies, accommodations, amusement parks, and transportation services. The flexible-use portion applies to a wider range of designated merchants, details of which can be found on the NTC system website.

Does the NTC Actually Cost Civil Servants Money? Gonggelì Claims Overtime Pay Is Being Replaced With Subsidies

In February this year, Gonggelì pointed out on Facebook that the current NT$16,000 vacation subsidy, when calculated against the mandatory 10 days of leave, amounts to an hourly rate of only NT$200—lower than many civil servants’ actual overtime pay. Citing Judicial Yuan Interpretation No. 785, they emphasized that receiving overtime pay and taking leave are statutory rights, not favors granted by the state. They argue that civil servants are workers too, and replacing unpaid leave compensation with a low-value subsidy effectively deprives them of rightful labor compensation.

On May 19, a citizen submitted a proposal on the Public Policy Participation Platform titled “Restoring Salary Justice: Requesting the Government Abolish the National Travel Card System and Fully Restore Cash Payment of Unpaid Overtime for Unused Leave.” It eventually garnered 5,524 endorsements. The proposal argues that civil servants who cannot take leave due to official duties should be fully compensated in cash, and tourism revitalization policies should be funded through the Tourism Administration’s regular budget instead.

As of August 11, Gonggelì shared the Personnel Administration Bureau’s official response to the abolition proposal. In short, the request was not adopted, based on six main reasons:

1. **Leave is for health and should not be entirely converted to cash**: The government believes the purpose of leave is to allow civil servants to step away from work and rest. If unused leave were always paid in cash, it might reduce the incentive to take leave and increase the risk of overwork.

2. **Mandatory 10-day leave serves an important purpose**: Enforcing a minimum number of leave days helps reduce operational bottlenecks, staffing imbalances, and issues like supervisors blocking leave requests (“supervisor阻休”).

3. **Average leave taken is 11.32 days—evidence the current system works**: The government cited 2025 statistics showing that personnel across Executive Yuan-affiliated central and local agencies and schools took an average of 11.32 days of annual leave, indicating the current “mandatory 10-day leave” policy aligns well with practice.

4. **The NT$16,000 subsidy is considered an “additional benefit”**: The government maintains that the NTC subsidy is fundamentally different from unpaid overtime compensation. Abolishing the system would undermine the current benefits enjoyed by civil servants.

5. **Current system balances both “rest” and “compensation”**: Beyond the NT$16,000 subsidy, civil servants can still apply for unpaid overtime pay for up to 20 additional days beyond the mandatory 10-day leave. Thus, the government claims the current framework already balances health protection and labor compensation.

6. **Current rules extended through 2028**: The Executive Yuan has already approved continuing the current system from 2026 to 2028. Going forward, the policy will be reviewed every three years in principle.

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