Foreign Workers Receive Higher Pay Rise Than Locals in 2011

Taipei, March 28, 2012 (CENS)--The basic monthly pay of foreign laborers or overseas contract workers (OCWs) in Taiwan averaged NT$18,447 (US$614.9) in 2011, up by NT$684 (US$22.8) or 3.7% year-on-year, according to an investigation by the Employment & Vocational Training Administration (EVTA) under the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA).

CLA officials indicated that that such pay rise of 3.7% for OCWs was higher than the corresponding 3.47% of basic salaries for nationals on the island, adding that Taiwan's basic salaries have been raised only twice over the past 10 years versus five times for for OCWs.

Last year the average basic monthly pay of OCWs was NT$18,447 (US$614.9), including 76.4% as basic salary and NT$5,039 (US$167.97) or 20.9% for overtime work, with room and board taking a minimal share of NT$664 (US$22.13).

In the same year OCWs in manufacturing received average basic monthly pay of NT$24,167 (US$805.57), higher than that for all OCWs by NT$5,670 (US$189) and presented an annual growth of 4.3%.

However, basic monthly pay for OCWs in Taiwan is still lower than that in South Korea, as well as Singapore and Hong Kong, if taking room and board into consideration.

The statistics released by the CLA show that as of the end of October 2011, Taiwan had 420,931 OCWs, sharply up by 41,278 workers or 10.9% from a year earlier. Manufacturing industry absorbed 211,716 persons during the year, the highest among all industries, with electronic parts sector topping with 39,585 OCWs (18.7%), followed by metal manufacturing sector with 37,840 workers (17.9%); while textile sector took in 20,955 OCWs (9.9%).