New Taipei senior employment rate reaches 7.5%

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — New Taipei’s Labor Affairs Department Director Chen Jui-chia (陳瑞嘉) said Wednesday the city’s employment rate among individuals aged 65 and older reached 7.5% last year.

The city’s employment rate for this age group was 6.4 % in 2022 and rose to 6.9 % in 2023. While labor force participation among middle-aged and older adults in New Taipei has increased, it still lags behind countries like Japan and South Korea.

New Taipei City Government has established eight employment service centers and 16 service counters across the city. A new center in Linkou District is scheduled to open by the end of this year.

The city government also set up employment service centers for middle-aged and older adults in Banqiao and Sanchong districts, Chen said. He pledged the city government would continue to create job opportunities and foster a more age-friendly work environment for older workers.

Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) said that New Taipei has a labor force of 2.1 million, the largest in the country. However, the city is facing labor shortages primarily due to declining birth rates and an aging population. He added the city government will continue supporting disadvantaged groups such as immigrant residents, the homeless, and rehabilitated individuals to find suitable jobs.

According to the Ministry of Labor, about 20% of Taiwan’s workforce is burdened with caregiving responsibilities for family members with disabilities, dementia, or other physical or mental conditions. To reduce the risk of workers leaving the workforce early due to these demands, Chen said the department will work with childcare providers and businesses to offer support for working individuals.

In 2023, Taiwan had more than 5.06 million middle-aged and older workers in the labor force. The ministry plans to increase this number by at least 100,000 annually.

Most Taiwan companies show a low willingness to hire middle-aged and older workers. While 79% of employers prefer hiring younger workers aged 23 to 44, only 3 % express interest in employing older workers.

Among the employers willing to hire older workers, the most common job types offered are in food service, manual labor, sales, and production. However, older job seekers tend to prefer roles in event support, sales, and office administration.