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Taipei / DPA
Workforce demand for the second quarter is expected to rise by 19,334 – a drastic 57-per-cent decline from last year’s 45,063, according to the Labour Ministry’s survey on domestic firms.
It was the lowest growth in seven years for the April-June period. Stagnant global growth and lackluster export performance have contributed to companies’ lower willingness to hire, the Labour Ministry reasoned.
The job market saw rather moderate growth for two continuous quarters. The increase was pegged at some 18,000 during the January-March period, also the lowest first-quarter showing since the financial meltdown.
According to the survey by Labour Ministry, some 18 percent firms intend to step up hiring, about 69 percent do not plan to make workforce changes, while 4.28 per cent plan layoffs. About 8.5 per cent said they are still uncertain.