Staff writer, with CNA
The jobless rate dropped to 3.3 percent last month, the lowest for the month in 26 years, the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) said yesterday.The country’s unemployment rate fell 0.04 percentage points from a month earlier, ending two months of increases, data compiled by the DGBAS showed.After seasonal adjustments, the jobless rate was 3.34 percent last month, dropping 0.01 percentage point from March.
A worker delivers goods in Taipei’s Neihu District on April 23.
The number of unemployed people dipped to 397,000 last month, down 5,000 from March, the data showed.Of the 397,000, those who became unemployed after leaving their previous jobs due to dissatisfaction fell by 4,000, and the number of people who lost their jobs because of seasonal or temporary work dipped by 2,000.
However, the number of people who became unemployed due to business downsizing or closures increased by 1,000, the DGBAS said.Census Department Deputy Director Tan Wen-ling (譚文玲) said the overall drop is in line with seasonal trends, as many workers who resigned around the Lunar New Year have found new employment.The unemployment rate has traditionally fallen in May over the past two to three years, she said, but added that the rate would likely climb again next month and in August, as it is graduation season.As for whether tensions in the Middle East would affect Taiwan’s job market, Tan said that no changes have been observed so far.Taiwan’s labor market appears stable, with the jobless rate dropping to its lowest level for April in 26 years, she said.Unemployment among the 15-to-24 age group was 11.37 percent last month, reflecting the high concentration of first-time job seekers, the DGBAS said.The rate was 5.75 percent for the 25-to-29 age group and 3.32 percent for the 30-to-34 age group, it added.
