Taiwan: Numbers of Unemployed Older Workers Increasing

According to the China Post, Taiwan's Council of Labor Affairs has reported that the number of older Taiwanese workers who are unemployed has more than doubled over the past 10 years, indicating increased employment barriers for this group. Specifically, 75,000 workers aged 45-64 in Taiwan were unemployed in 2007, compared with 34,000 workers in 1997.

Of these unemployed workers, 37% were offered employment but turned down the jobs, mainly because the pay offered was too low. Of the remaining workers, 59% were hampered by age restrictions set by employers, while another 19% were not equipped with the skills required by employers. However, it was also acknowledged that the increase in unemployment of older workers was also partly due to the aging of Taiwan's population.

Source: China Post "Number of elderly jobless workers rising" (August 21, 2008)