Taiwan observes Labor Day this Thursday, with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) expressing gratitude to workers across all sectors. In a Facebook post, he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to raising wages, cutting taxes, and promoting stable employment to improve labor rights.
Lai noted that the minimum wage has increased for the ninth consecutive year, and said the administration is working to foster a sustainable labor environment by strengthening labor standards, expanding vocational training, and promoting labor-management cooperation to encourage wage growth.
Lai also pointed to recent tax reforms aimed at boosting disposable income. As tax season begins, the exemption threshold has been raised, allowing income tax exemption for individuals earning less than NT$446,000 (US$13,908) annually.
Addressing the impact of U.S. tariff policies, Lai said the Cabinet has proposed a special NT$410 billion (US$12.8 billion) bill to support domestic industries, stabilize employment, and strengthen national resilience. Of that amount, funding for industrial and job market support has been raised from NT$88 billion (US$2.74 billion) to NT$93 billion (US$2.9 billion). The Labor Ministry is also introducing new measures to assist middle-aged and older workers affected by recent economic shifts.