TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s automakers are shifting gears in the talent race, raising base pay and family-friendly perks beyond traditional year-end bonuses, CTEE reported Monday.
The shift comes despite mounting pressures for transformation in the automotive sector. As the industry accelerates its transition toward electric vehicles and new technologies, talent needs have expanded beyond mechanical engineering to include information technology, artificial intelligence, and marketing.
Hotai Motor has significantly restructured its compensation system in recent years, raising entry-level salaries. Yulon Group has taken a family-focused approach, with its subsidiary China Motor introducing uncommon forms of paid leave in an effort to attract and retain workers
Beyond bonuses, Hotai last year offered monthly salaries of NT$44,000 (US$1,402) for bachelor’s degree holders and NT$50,000 for master’s degree holders. By comparison, the statutory minimum wage was NT$28,590 as of 2025.
Including year-end and performance bonuses, Hotai’s total annual compensation rivals packages in Taiwan’s technology sector, the report stated.
China Motor has rolled out rare benefits, including paid leave for employees who serve as wedding hosts for their children, as well as leave for a child’s first day of elementary school. The company also operates an on-site kindergarten and after-school care center, addressing a major challenge for dual-income households.
Sanyang Motor has raised employee salaries for eight consecutive years, with cumulative increases averaging over 20%. The company is also developing a childcare facility for employees’ children.
Industry analysts say declining birth rates and intensifying cross-sector competition have led automakers to recognize that salary alone may not be enough to retain younger employees. By raising starting pay while expanding family-support policies and flexible leave, carmakers are repositioning themselves as more worker-friendly employers in a tightening labor market.
