More than 77 percent of young, working adults in Taiwan said they are interested in working overseas, with Japan, the US and Singapore among the most popular destinations, a poll released yesterday by 1111 Job Bank (1111人力銀行) said.
The poll, which surveyed 1111 Job Bank members under the age of 35 by e-mail, found that many respondents who said they liked the idea of working overseas believed that better pay and benefits would be on offer overseas, while the experience would improve their competitiveness in the job market.
The respondents, 3.4 percent of whom are working abroad, said that overseas jobs could help expand their perspectives, improve their language abilities and job prospects, the poll said.
The top potential destinations the respondents said they would consider were Japan, the US, Singapore, China, New Zealand and Australia.
The high percentage of young people who are willing to work abroad might be related to the high youth unemployment rate in Taiwan, 1111 Job Bank deputy general manager Daniel Lee (李大華) said.
The unemployment rate rose to the highest level in two years at 4.08 percent in August, with joblessness much higher among those under the age of 29, Lee said.
It was 13.43 percent among the 20-24 age group, 9.05 percent among the 15-19 age group and 6.98 percent among the 25-29 age bracket, Lee said, citing figures from the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics.
The poll, conducted between Sept. 20 and Tuesday, collected 1,116 valid samples.
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