Applications for worker relief loans provided by the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) for 2010 will open Jan. 4 and last until Jan. 22. People who are insured by the national labor insurance program and whose insurance coverage has reached over 15 years will be eligible to file for the loans. The annual interest rate on the loans, which are capped at NT$100,000 (US$3,122) each, is 1.38 percent. Once an application is approved, the money will be transferred into the applicant's bank account before Feb. 13. This year, the CLA will provide a total of NT$20 billion in loans that will benefit a maximum of 200,000 eligible applicants for the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday in February. Workers who meet the loan qualifications can apply by mail or file their applications at any of the 146 branches of the Land Bank of Taiwan. They can also apply online by visiting the bank's official Web site, according to the CLA's Bureau of Labor Insurance. People who are granted the loans will only need to pay interest for the first six months and only from the seventh month will need to start also repaying the principal, according to the bureau. 