Taiwan may hire more OFWs due to Thai crisis

MANILA, Philippines - Local job recruitment agencies reported yesterday that Taiwanese employers might hire more overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) due to the prevailing political crisis in Thailand, which is a major source of workers for Taiwanese factories.

Jackson Gan, a recruitment industry leader, said more than 40,000 workers are needed in Taiwan this year alone.

He said workers who are interested to work in Taiwan might apply with licensed job agencies accredited by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office.

Recruiters said the political crisis that has severely affected business in Thailand could serve as a blessing in disguise for Filipino factory workers.

They said many South Korean and Japanese electronic factories have reduced production quotas from Thai firms with no permanent solution seen to resolve the political unrest in Thailand.

Some of the foreign-owned factories in Thailand are reportedly planning to transfer to other countries.

But the reduction of production quota for many electronic factories will be offset by additional production orders for the Taiwan factories of these Japanese and Korean companies, the recruiters said.

This will result in more overtime for OFWs now in Taiwan and the need for more manpower to cope with the demand for electronic products, they added.

The Manila Economic and Cultural Office and local recruitment agencies reported that an increase in export orders for Taiwanese factories is expected to result in additional job orders for Filipino factory workers.

Taiwanese employers hired about 35,000 Filipino workers, mostly in factories, last year.