The China Post
Date: September 4, 2016
By: The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Ministry of Labor (MOL, 勞動部) statistics have revealed that the number of foreign workers in Taiwan increased by 15,000 in the first half of this year — the lowest increase in seven years.

According to the MOL, the total number of migrant workers in Taiwan passed 600,000 in June, but ministry officials also said the sluggish rate of economic growth had slowed inflows.

The figures represent a marked reduction from previous years, with migrant workers increasing by around 40,000 people between 2012 and 2013, 62,000 between 2013 to 2014 and 36,000 between 2014 and 2015.

Despite the slower increase this year, some experts cited by local media painted the slowdown as something of a correction from the “out of hand” growth in migrant workers seen in recent years.

It took 11 years from 2000 to 2011 for foreign worker numbers in Taiwan to increase from 300,000 to 400,000, yet by 2012 the figure had shot up to 500,000, reaching 600,000 only two years and two months later, according to local reports.     [FULL  STORY]