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Brief Introduction to Taiwan's Salary and Welfare System

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Brief Introduction to Taiwan's Salary and Welfare System

Taiwan has a comprehensive labour law system, which aims to protect the basic rights and interests of workers while promoting the harmonious development of labour-management relations. The following will elaborate on Taiwan's salary and welfare service system from key aspects such as wages, working hours, and leave and recreation.

  1. Wage System

    (1)
    Basic Wage

    Taiwan sets a monthly basic wage and an hourly basic wage. These wages are adjusted annually by the Basic Wage Review Committee of the Ministry of Labor based on economic conditions. For instance, in 2025, the monthly basic wage is NT$28,590, and the hourly basic wage is NT$190. All employers must pay wages no lower than these standards.

    (2)
    Wage Calculation and Payment

    Calculation Method: Wages can be calculated on a monthly, daily, or hourly basis, but they must meet the basic wage requirements.

    Payment Frequency: Enterprises usually adopt a monthly wage payment system. The payment date is generally the 5th, 10th, or 15th of each month. Employers are not allowed to delay or deduct wages without a valid reason.

    (3)
    Overtime Pay

    (a)    Overtime on Working Days

    For the first 2 hours of overtime, the overtime pay shall be no less than 1/3 of the regular hourly wage. That is, the hourly overtime pay is approximately 1.34 times the regular hourly wage.

    For the subsequent 2 hours of overtime, the overtime pay shall be no less than 2/3 of the regular hourly wage. That is, the hourly overtime pay is approximately 1.67 times the regular hourly wage.

    (b)    Overtime on Rest Days

    If the overtime duration does not exceed 2 hours, employees are entitled to overtime pay of 2.33 times their regular hourly wage.

    If the overtime duration exceeds 2 hours, employees are entitled to overtime pay of 2.66 times their regular hourly wage.

    According to the new provisions added in the "Amendment to the Labor Standards Act" on March 1, 2018, for overtime worked during regular working hours or rest days, employees may, at their own will, convert the overtime hours into paid time off. The period for taking the make-up leave shall be determined through negotiation between the employer and the employee, and the ratio for converting overtime hours to make-up leave is 1:1. In addition, if an employee resigns or the make-up leave period expires, the remaining overtime hours shall be compensated with overtime pay.

    (c)    Overtime on Statutory Holidays

    In accordance with Article 39 of Taiwan's "Labor Standards Act", the calculation method of overtime pay for working on statutory holidays is as follows:

    For working on a statutory holiday, employees shall be paid twice the daily wage for the first 8 hours of work, or they may choose to take make-up leave of the same duration.

    If the overtime duration exceeds 8 hours, the overtime pay for the 9th and 10th hours shall be calculated at 1.34 times the hourly wage; for the 11th to 12th hours, it shall be calculated at 1.67 times the hourly wage.

    (4)
    Severance System

    In Taiwan, the provisions on dismissal and notice period are governed by the "Labor Standards Act". The following are the general provisions on dismissal and notice period in Taiwan:

    (a)    Notice Period

    For employees who have worked for more than 3 months but less than 1 year, the notice shall be given 10 days in advance.
    For employees who have worked for more than 1 year but less than 3 years, the notice shall be given 20 days in advance.
    For employees who have worked for more than 3 years, the notice shall be given 30 days in advance.

    (b)    Calculation of Severance Pay

    Pursuant to the "Labor Standards Act" and the "Labor Pension Act", the amount of severance pay is calculated based on the employee's length of service and the start date of the employment contract.

  2. Working Hours

    (1)
    Regular Working Hours

    In accordance with the "Labor Standards Act", the regular daily working hours for workers in Taiwan shall not exceed 8 hours, and the regular weekly working hours shall not exceed 40 hours. Employers may arrange flexible working hours according to their needs, but they must comply with the provisions of the law.

    (2)
    Overtime Restrictions

    The "Labor Standards Act" stipulates that employees may work a maximum of 46 hours of overtime per month. Meanwhile, employees are entitled to 2 rest days per week, one of which is a statutory rest day on which no overtime work is allowed, and the other is a general rest day. If employees work overtime on the general rest day, they may choose to receive overtime pay or take make-up leave.

    With the consent of employees, employers may extend working hours. The total daily working hours (including regular working hours and overtime hours) shall not exceed 12 hours, and the total monthly overtime hours shall not exceed 46 hours. However, there are special provisions in case of natural disasters, accidents, or emergency incidents. In addition, with the consent of the labour union (or, if the enterprise has no labour union, with the consent of the labour-management conference), employers may adopt a 3-month total overtime control. Under this control, the monthly overtime hours shall not exceed 54 hours, and the total overtime hours within 3 months shall not exceed 138 hours.

  3. Leave System

    (1)
    Statutory Holidays

    Statutory holidays in Taiwan include New Year's Day, Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, National Day, etc. Workers are entitled to take leave on these days. If employers require workers to work on statutory holidays, they must pay double wages or arrange make-up leave.

    (2)
    Annual Leave

    After working continuously for a certain period with the same employer or in the same enterprise, workers are entitled to special leave (annual leave):
    • Employees who have worked for more than 6 months but less than 1 year are entitled to 3 days of annual leave.
    • Employees who have worked for more than 1 year, but less than 2 years are entitled to 7 days of annual leave.
    • Employees who have worked for more than 2 years but less than 3 years are entitled to 10 days of annual leave.
    • Employees who have worked for more than 3 years but less than 5 years are entitled to an additional 1 day of annual leave each year, accumulating year by year, with a maximum of 14 days.
    • Employees who have worked for more than 5 years but less than 10 years are entitled to an additional 1 day of annual leave each year, accumulating year by year, with a maximum of 15 days.
    • Employees who have worked for more than 10 years are entitled to an additional 1 day of annual leave each year, accumulating year by year, with a maximum of 30 days.

    (3)
    Other Types of Leave

    • Marriage Leave: Employees are entitled to 8 days of fully paid marriage leave.
    • Bereavement Leave: Depending on the degree of kinship, employees are entitled to 3 to 8 days of bereavement leave.
    • Maternity Leave: Employees who have worked for more than 6 months are entitled to 8 weeks of paid maternity leave; those who have worked for less than 6 months are entitled to half of that period (including holidays). Paternity leave is 7 days of paid leave.
    • Sick Leave: Pursuant to Paragraph 1 of Article 4 of the "Rules on Employee Leave", the time limit and conditions for employees to take sick leave due to illness or injury are as follows:
    • For non-hospitalized employees: The total number of sick leave days within one year shall not exceed 30 days.
    • For hospitalized employees: The total number of sick leave days within two years shall not exceed one year.

  4. Employer Tax and Contribution Obligations in Taiwan

    Taiwan's social insurance system mainly includes Labor Insurance (LI), National Health Insurance (NHI), and Labor Pension, among others.

    (1)
    Labor Insurance (LI)

    Calculation Formula: Insured Salary × 12% × 70%

    It is mainly used to protect workers’ basic livelihoods in cases of illness, injury, unemployment, retirement, or death. Premiums are jointly borne by employers, employees, and the government.

    (2)
    Labor Pension

    Calculation Formula: Employee’s Salary × 6%

    It is co-contributed by employers and employees, covering two parts: the "Individual Labor Pension Account" and "Annuity Insurance". The minimum contribution rate for employers is 6%, while employees may voluntarily contribute 0% to 6%. The government does not provide any financial subsidies for this system. Labor pension contributions must be paid by the 30th day of the following month.

    (3)
    Labor Occupational Accident Insurance

    Calculation Formula: Insured Salary × 0.1% – 0.9%

    Employers are required to pay occupational accident insurance premiums based on employees’ insured salary, with different contribution rates for different industries according to their risk levels. This insurance provides medical care, disability benefits, and death benefits for workers in case of work-related injuries or occupational diseases, ensuring timely support for workers when they suffer from occupational accidents.

    (4)
    Employment Insurance

    Calculation Formula: Insured Salary × 1% × 70%

    Workers who become involuntarily unemployed can receive unemployment benefits, participate in vocational training, and receive living allowances. Premiums are jointly borne by employers and workers.

    (5)
    National Health Insurance (NHI)

    Calculation Formula: Insured Salary × 5.17% × 60%

    NHI premiums are jointly shared by employers, employees, and the government, calculated as a percentage of monthly salary. It covers a wide range of medical services, including hospitalization, outpatient care, and surgeries, with premium rates adjusted regularly. The insured salary for NHI must be determined with reference to the range specified on the NHI official website, rather than directly based on the employee’s actual salary. The total NHI premium is 5.17% of the insured salary, with employers bearing 60%, employees 30%, and the government 10%.


  5. Summary

    Taiwan's salary and welfare service system takes the "Labor Standards Act" as the core, combined with relevant laws and regulations and the social security system, to provide comprehensive protection for workers. However, in actual implementation, there may still be differences due to the scale of enterprises or industry characteristics. Workers should be aware of their own rights and interests, and employers must also comply with relevant laws and regulations to jointly create a fair and healthy working environment.

Disclaimer

All information in this article is only for the purpose of information sharing, instead of professional suggestion. Kaizen will not assume any responsibility for loss or damage.

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