The average monthly wage in July picked up 2.89 percent from a year earlier to NT$46,530 (US$1,448), while the average total monthly wage — including overtime pay, performance-based commissions and bonuses — climbed 6.06 percent to NT$62,266, the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) said yesterday.
The upturn came as the industrial and service sectors raised their staff levels to meet demand as business improved, Census Department Deputy Director Tan Wen-ling (譚文玲) said.
The total number of workers hired by the industrial and service sectors rose 0.48 percent, or 40,000 people, from June to 8.47 million, as manufacturers added 9,000 workers, the first positive growth since August 2022, Tan said.
Photo: CNA
The payroll expansion suggested a solid business increase, as Taiwanese semiconductor firms benefited from the artificial intelligence (AI) boom, she said.
At the same time, retailers and wholesale companies hired 8,000 more workers, while hotels and restaurants added 7,000 employees, Tan said, adding that seasonal hiring lent support during the summer time.
Overtime hours held steady at 16.4 hours, led by suppliers of electronics at 24.7 hours, the 13th straight month of increase to a new high since November 2007, she said.
Taiwan is a leading producer of chips, graphic cards, servers and other electronics used in cloud data centers for US technology giants that are aggressively spending on the development of AI applications.
Additionally, scores of local firms form part of the global supply chain of Apple Inc, which on Monday released its latest iPhone series and smartwatches.
The business pickup allowed firms to offer better compensation to tackle personnel shortages, the DGBAS said.
Average total monthly pay in July represented a 12.26 percent increase from one month earlier, as some firms issued performance-based commissions and mid-year bonuses, Tan said.
Financial and insurance companies offered the highest overall average monthly wage of NT$122,450, followed by electricity and gas suppliers at NT$109,668 and electronic component makers at NT$105,782, the DGBAS report showed.
By contrast, hospitality providers and non-school educational facilities had the lowest total monthly pay of NT$39,393 and NT$35,053 respectively, it found.
People with higher education enjoyed better pay, as those with a graduate degree reported a median monthly pay of NT$62,661, compared with people with junior college or university diplomas at NT$39,067, it said, citing statistics for the past five years.
Average monthly take-home pay in the first seven months of the year rose 2.6 percent year-on-year to NT$46,269, while the average total monthly pay during the same period increased 4.06 percent to NT$63,826, the agency said.
The real pace of increase eased to 0.29 percent and 1.72 percent respectively after adjustments for inflation, it added.
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