Taipei: Taiwan's jobless rate saw a nominal increase in June as a wave of new graduates began seeking employment, though the seasonally adjusted figures remained stable, according to the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS). The nominal unemployment rate edged up by 0.06 percentage points from May, reaching 3.36 percent-the lowest recorded for June in 25 years, as per the data released by DGBAS.
According to Focus Taiwan, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 3.34 percent in June, unchanged from the previous month. On average, the jobless rate for the first half of 2025 was 3.33 percent, representing a slight decrease of 0.03 percentage points from the same period in the previous year. Tan Wen-ling, deputy director of DGBAS's Census Department, commented on the stability of Taiwan's job market despite the slight increase from May, noting that the United States' fluctuating tariff policies have not significantly affected Taiwan's employment landscape.
Tan highlighted that the number of furloughed workers, as compiled by the Ministry of Labor, rose slightly to 2,878 at the end of June from 2,831 in May. In terms of specific figures, the number of unemployed individuals increased by 8,000, or 2 percent, reaching 404,000, while employment grew by 6,000, or 0.05 percent, to approximately 11.62 million. The labor participation rate also saw an uptick, climbing 0.08 percentage points to 59.38 percent in June.
The rise in unemployment was largely attributed to the influx of first-time jobseekers, with an increase of 9,000 new entrants into the job market. The trend is expected to continue into July and August, according to Tan. Educational attainment played a role in the unemployment statistics, with university graduates experiencing the highest unemployment rate at 4.56 percent. Conversely, those with senior high or junior high school education faced lower rates of 3.08 percent and 1.99 percent, respectively.
Age-specific data revealed that individuals aged 20-24 faced an 11.71 percent unemployment rate due to the concentration of first-time jobseekers, while the rate was notably lower at 5.79 percent for those aged 25-29. Additionally, the DGBAS reported a reduction in time-related underemployment, with 111,000 people affected in June, down by 3,000 from the previous month and 21,000 from the previous year. The International Labor Organization defines time-related underemployment as the scenario where employed individuals work fewer hours than desired and are willing and available to work more.