TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s electronics components manufacturing sector averaged 27.9 hours of overtime per month last year, the highest since 1980, the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics reported Wednesday.
Across all industries, Taiwan employed an average of 8.52 million workers, up 66,000 from the previous year. Average monthly total work hours were 168.9, with overtime across all sectors averaging 8.8 hours, according to CNA.
The electronics components sector stood out, with overtime increasing for 30 consecutive months through December. Overtime is commonly seen as an indicator of business activity, rising during periods of strong demand and easing when orders slow.
Deputy Director of the Census Bureau Tan Wen-ling (譚文玲) attributed the increase to strong demand last year for artificial intelligence applications, high-performance computing, and cloud services, which in turn drove growth in electronics manufacturing.
Generative AI is driving global technological change and accelerating commercialization, while rising demand for cloud computing has boosted the use of AI servers. AI PCs and smartphones are gradually entering the market, all of which require high-performance electronic components with increasingly advanced packaging, according to the Department of Industrial Technology.
Tan also noted strong wage growth in the sector. Average annual salaries rose NT$104,652 (US$3,333), or 8.52%, outpacing other industries and reflecting the sector’s robust performance.
