TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Young adults in Taiwan face challenges with low wages and late working hours, even with master's degrees, resulting in almost NT＄30,000 difference in monthly earnings based on career choice.
Job banks have pointed out that among the 48,000 graduate students surveyed between 2018 and 2022, those pursuing careers in IC, communications, or engineering earned an average of NT＄73,500 in their initial positions.
"It just so happens that [these] companies are short of people, and under the principle of supply and demand, they're more willing to fork out higher salaries to attract better talents," said Spring Wang, head of the career development unit at a local job bank.
He added, "After getting your master's degree, if you join some of the top IC design companies, you might be able to earn a monthly salary of NT＄100,000 or NT＄150,000."
However, for those with master's degrees in other fields, their average earnings take a significant hit. Ms. Chang, for example, shared that despite being a graduate student, her first job paid her a meager NT＄25,000 salary.
She is working on obtaining a nanny certificate in Taiwan to improve her prospects while managing the financial responsibilities of supporting her children and renting an apartment. "After a few years in the workforce, I realized that my wages have not increased, but my expenses have increased drastically," Chang said.
Considering the rising inflation, the average regular income of individuals working in Taiwan fell to NT＄41,357 in 2022, marking the steepest decline in a decade.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) statistics indicate that 24.9% of college graduates receive minimum wage in their initial jobs, making saving for a home or making additional investments highly challenging.
In the face of increasing living costs, many young adults in Taiwan are categorized as the "working poor."
