Businesses across Lienchiang County (Matsu), which has one of Taiwan’s lowest unemployment rates, are struggling to recruit workers as a shrinking labor pool and aging workforce leave key industries short of staff.
The shortage has hit sectors ranging from hospitality and retail to construction and childcare, raising concerns that it could affect residents’ daily lives and the tourism-driven economy of the outlying islands.
A 2024 human resources survey by the Lienchiang County Government showed that the unemployment rate was just 0.1 percent, much lower than the 3.38 percent rate for all of Taiwan.
Photo: CNA
Meanwhile, 56.94 percent of Matsu’s workforce is employed by government agencies, while only 22.09 percent work in the private sector, further limiting the labor pool available to businesses.
A guesthouse owner in Nangan Township (南竿), surnamed Chang (張), said she has offered a starting monthly salary of NT$38,000 for full-time staff, but still cannot find suitable employees.
“People online often joke that if employers offer ‘bananas,’ they can only hire ‘monkeys,’” Chang said. “However, in Matsu, even when wages are 1.2 to 1.5 times higher than in Taiwan proper, it is still hard to find the right person.”
Labor shortages have also slowed construction, a contractor overseeing public works projects in Juguang Township (莒光) said.
The company offers wages starting at NT$3,000 per day, with meals and accommodation for workers relocating from Taiwan proper, but few applicants are interested due to the limited transportation and resources on the islands of Matsu, he said.
Demographic trends have further tightened the labor supply.
Workers aged 45 to 64 made up 51.43 percent of the workforce, while those aged 25 to 44 accounted for 37.19 percent, the report said.
Young workers are particularly scarce, with people aged 15 to 24 making up just 2.96 percent of the labor force, the data showed.
Liu Yu-ting (劉羽庭), a director at a Matsu youth development association, said that many young people from the islands move to Taiwan proper for better opportunities.
Those who return often prefer starting their own business or entering public-sector jobs rather than frontline roles in retail or food service, Liu said.
Some employers have begun experimenting with new ways to recruit and retain workers.
Another guesthouse owner in Nangan, surnamed Chung (鍾), said she recruits short-term helpers through social media, offering accommodation and encouraging them to explore the islands during their stay.
She also shares meals with helpers and reduces working hours so they have time to experience life in Matsu, which she said improves job satisfaction and sometimes encourages them to stay longer.
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