The average monthly wage for young people aged 15 to 29 is about NT$28,925, according to poll results released by the Ministry of Labor yesterday.
Although the ministry said that average youth earnings have increased by about NT$1,500 from 2012, when compared with results from nearly a decade ago, wages have seen a slight decrease from the NT$29,365 earned in 2006.
The report was based on a survey conducted in October last year, which collected a total of 4,034 valid responses nationwide, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, the ministry said.
The youth work force has decreased from about 2.4 million people in 2006 to 2 million people last year as a result of fewer births and a growing number of young people staying in school longer to pursue advanced degrees, the ministry said.
The poll also found a continued increase in the level of education, with 57 percent of respondents holding qualifications at degree level or higher.
On average, young people entered the workforce at 21.7 years old, a slight increase from 20.5 in 2006, the ministry said yesterday.
The survey found it took 2.1 months for a first-time job seekers in the 15-to-29 category to find a job, about the same as two years ago, indicating that the job market remains difficult for first-time job seekers.
It found that 28 percent of respondents expressed a desire to change jobs, with the most common reasons cited being “low wages” and “a bleak career outlook.”
It also found that respondents typically remain at each job for 1.6 years on average.
The ministry began its biannual survey on youth employment in 2006.
According to a report by the Chinese-language United Evening News, 58 percent of respondents said they earn less than NT$30,000 a month — which approximates to about 1.21 million young people nationwide.
Among people aged between 25 and 29 — workers who typically have more than three years of work experience — 44 percent said they received monthly wages of less than NT$30,000, the newspaper said.
Additional reporting by CNA
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