Taiwan's legislature has announced that salaries for public sector workers will increase by 4% in 2022. Lawmakers say that this change is meant to show support for public sector workers, such as teachers and military personnel, and appreciation for the work they have done throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is the fifth time in the past 20 years that public sector workers have been granted a raise.
According to the government’s statistics, the total cost of these workers' wages in 2022 should amount to NT$31.4 billion (US$1.1 billion). Approximately half of that money will be supplied by the central government, and the other half by local governments.
Legislators are still discussing whether pensions for retirees should also be adjusted. The annual capital set aside for public sector workers' retirement is currently capped at NT$1 billion (US$36 million).