TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Social workers in Taiwan are set to receive a pay raise starting in January 2020 as the country implements new pay scales for people working in the profession.

Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said in an executive meeting that Taiwan hired an additional 1,400 social workers last year, with the workforce to be expanded by 3,000 by the end of 2020, reported the Central News Agency.

Payment adjustments for social workers in both the public and private sectors will take effect next year. Individuals working in the former will be granted a monthly raise of up to NT$3,000 (US$96).

Those taking up an occupation that helps enhance social functioning and overall-welling in private corporations will receive raises of up to NT$4,000 a month, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Approximately 10,682 people are expected to benefit from the wage adjustment, 4,512 in the public sector and 6,170 in the private sector. A budget of NT$372 million will be set aside by the government to support the measure, wrote CNA.