The gap in the labor participation rate between Taiwanese men and women has narrowed over the past decade as an increasing number of women are entering the job market, according to the Ministry of Labor.
The labor participation rate among men stood at 67.13 percent last year, down 0.11 percentage points from 2007, while the percentage of women was 50.92 percent, up 1.48 percentage points, data compiled by the ministry showed.
Last year, 6.56 million men and 5.23 million women joined the workforce, a difference of 16.21 percentage points in the participation rates of men and women, down from 17.80 percentage points in 2007, the data showed.
Of the women employed last year, 57.07 percent held a bachelor’s degree or higher, while only 45.01 percent of men did, the ministry said.
According to the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, the labor participation rate takes the number of Taiwanese older than 15 and compares those in the workforce with the total population.
The labor participation rate for women last year trailed behind the US’ rate of 57.0 percent, South Korea’s 52.7 percent and Japan’s 51.1 percent, the data showed.
The gap in participation of Taiwanese men and women last year (16.21 percentage points) was higher than the US’ 12.1 percentage points, but lower than Japan’s 19.4 percentage points and South Korea’s 21.4 percentage points, the data showed.
Growth in the participation rate among women aged 25 to 44 was the highest among all age groups, hitting 81.24 percent last year, or up 7.26 percentage points from 2007, the ministry said.
The participation rate among men aged 25 to 44 was 95.59 percent last year, up 2.51 percentage points from 2007, it added.
The participation rate among women aged 25 to 29 last year was higher than rates in the US, Japan or South Korea, while the rate for Taiwanese women aged 35 to 49 reached 73 percent, similar to the three countries’ rates, the ministry said.
However, the participation rate for women older than 50 fell sharply, with only 4.1 percent of women older than 65 joining the workforce, much lower than South Korea’s 24.1 percent, Japan’s 16.0 percent and the US’ 15.7 percent.
The decline after age 50 reflected expectations in society that women should care for aging family members, the ministry said, adding that childcare also makes it difficult for women to continue careers in middle age.
The market for senior female workers has great potential, the ministry added.
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