Taiwan’s employment rose for sixth consecutive month

The increase in hiring was due to the local economy stabilising as traditionally strong export demand in 2020’s fourth quarter increased the need for workers in the tech industry and rising consumption supported the service sector. 

Figures from the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) showed that there were 18,000 more employees working in Taiwan’s industrial and service sector at the end of November, raising the number by 0.21% to 7.98 million from a month earlier.  

The increase in numbers was more than the 12,000 to 17,000 new employee growth over the last five years in the same periods, said DGBAS. 

Taiwan’s nominal unemployment rate was 3.75% in November, down from 3.80% a month earlier, but it was unchanged from the previous month at 3.77% after seasonal adjustments, according to DGBAS figures. 

These figures reflect conditions after Taiwan eased its COVID-19 restrictions on businesses in June 2020, the economy gradually stablilised and the job market in both the industrial and service sectors regained momentum, said Chen Hui-hsin, deputy director of the DGBAS census department. 

By sector, manufacturing had 7,000 more employees at the end of November than at the end of October to support higher shipments to global markets ahead of the holiday shopping season. 

READ: Taiwan sees weekly drop in furloughed workers

The wholesale and retail sector added another 3,000 jobs from a month earlier, while lodging and food/beverage businesses hired another 2,000 people, the DGBAS said. 

Despite the positive recent trends, Chen warned that there was still uncertainty in Taiwan’s job market because of sharp rises in COVID-19 infections in many other areas around the world, according to Focus Taiwan.