TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Equal pay day fell four days earlier this year than the previous year, while the gender pay gap narrowed to 14.7%, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) said Thursday (Feb. 29).

The size of the gap was the same as in 2020, meaning it was the smallest in 13 years, Radio Taiwan International (RTI) reported. The new data meant that over the past year, women had to work 54 days more to catch up with the annual earnings of their male colleagues.

The 54th day of the year was Feb. 23, compared to the equal pay day for the previous year which fell on Feb. 27, 2023.

The gap between men’s and women’s hourly wages narrowed to 14.7%, showing a recovery following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the height of the pandemic in 2021 and 2022, the gap had grown to 15.8%. In 2023, the hourly wage for women amounted to NT$318 (US$10.04), or 85.3% of the NT$373 for men.

After the pandemic, demand for new staff in the services sector grew, resulting in more favorable employment conditions for women, according to MOL. Hourly wages for women rose faster than for male staff in 2023.

The gap also compared favorably to situations in other countries, with Japan reporting 30% and South Korea 30.2% for 2022. The United States used a formula based on the average weekly salary to come up with a 17% gap, while Taiwan reached 13.6% if using the same method.