The National Development Council in August released its latest biennial projection on Taiwan’s demographic trends. Recent projections have shown a significant decline in the working-age population, with labor shortages predicted to reach 400,000.
The government is promoting new population and immigration policies that focus on recruiting foreign professionals, attracting students from abroad and retaining foreign skilled workers.
Taiwan’s labor policy has been xenophobic, with many restrictions on hiring foreign workers. There was a limit on the number of migrant workers and foreign domestic helpers — who are seen by some as an underclass in Taiwan. Even overseas Taiwanese students who returned after graduating need to overcome many obstacles to getting a job, even if they have technical training.
This is frustrating for business owners and those who want to live in Taiwan. Now that the government wants Taiwan to become more open, Taiwanese should support and encourage the changes.
A tight labor market has worsened, and the “one fixed day off and one flexible rest day” policy has exacerbated the labor shortage.
Although there is no lack of labor in the hospitality industry, which was hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, the construction industry has faced a severe labor shortage. Major infrastructure projects have been delayed and costs have risen sharply. With soaring construction costs, housing prices are likely to rise.
The manufacturing and electronics industries have also long had a shortage of talent.
The US saw a “great resignation” during the pandemic; Canada has more than 1 million unfilled jobs; and Australia faces a shortage of civil engineers, cooks and childcare workers for the next five years.
Many countries are making immigration easier. New Zealand has temporarily loosened its immigration rules, aiming to attract 12,000 workers over the next year to fill labor gaps; Australia has raised its permanent migration cap to 195,000; and Japan has sought to reform its residency policy to attract more foreign talent.
Many Taiwanese have the impression that Malaysian Chinese desperately seek to work in Taiwan, but nowadays, Malaysia itself is also facing a severe shortage of workers, prompting the country to rely on Indonesian labor.
There is still a significant shortage. Malaysia negotiated with Bangladesh to initiate intergovernmental cooperation to recruit hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshi workers, breaking with the practice of recruiting through private agencies.
Thailand is also extremely short of labor, as is Vietnam.
Migrant workers and foreign domestic helpers have been considered the bane of Taiwanese because people believe they steal jobs.
However, this idea runs counter to economic common sense, because importing labor creates more job opportunities.
The same logic applies when large numbers of people from central and southern Taiwan seek employment in Taipei. The capital’s economy enjoys a strong labor market, allowing enterprises to recruit talent more easily and become more willing to be based in Taipei.
To further explore the workforce solutions in Taiwan, the Formosa Republican Association is scheduled to hold its Workforce Forum on Oct. 22.
However, a single forum is not enough to resolve such a crucial issue. Public attention and government support are required.
Tommy Lin is president of the Formosa Republican Association, vice president of the Taiwan United Nations Alliance and a medical doctor.
Translated by Sylvia Hsu
In a summer of intense political maneuvering, Taiwanese, whose democratic vibrancy is a constant rebuke to Beijing’s authoritarianism, delivered a powerful verdict not on China, but on their own political leaders. Two high-profile recall campaigns, driven by the ruling party against its opposition, collapsed in failure. It was a clear signal that after months of bitter confrontation, the Taiwanese public is demanding a shift from perpetual campaign mode to the hard work of governing. For Washington and other world capitals, this is more than a distant political drama. The stability of Taiwan is vital, as it serves as a key player
Yesterday’s recall and referendum votes garnered mixed results for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). All seven of the KMT lawmakers up for a recall survived the vote, and by a convincing margin of, on average, 35 percent agreeing versus 65 percent disagreeing. However, the referendum sponsored by the KMT and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) on restarting the operation of the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County failed. Despite three times more “yes” votes than “no,” voter turnout fell short of the threshold. The nation needs energy stability, especially with the complex international security situation and significant challenges regarding
Much like the first round on July 26, Saturday’s second wave of recall elections — this time targeting seven Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers — also failed. With all 31 KMT legislators who faced recall this summer secure in their posts, the mass recall campaign has come to an end. The outcome was unsurprising. Last month’s across-the-board defeats had already dealt a heavy blow to the morale of recall advocates and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), while bolstering the confidence of the KMT and its ally the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). It seemed a foregone conclusion that recalls would falter, as
The fallout from the mass recalls and the referendum on restarting the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant continues to monopolize the news. The general consensus is that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has been bloodied and found wanting, and is in need of reflection and a course correction if it is to avoid electoral defeat. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has not emerged unscathed, either, but has the opportunity of making a relatively clean break. That depends on who the party on Oct. 18 picks to replace outgoing KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫). What is certain is that, with the dust settling
RSS