Taiwan's September jobless rate of 3.36% is a 26-year low; ages 15–24 at over triple that

One set of data, two figures more than three times apart. Taiwan's Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) announced on 23 October 2026 that the September jobless rate was 3.36%, down 0.05 percentage points from August and the lowest for the month in 26 years. But the rate for ages 15 to 24 was 11.59%, the highest of any age group.

According to the Central News Agency (CNA), the September rate ended a three-month rise from June to August. The number of unemployed was about 405,000, roughly 6,000 fewer than in August, a fall of 1.54%. CNA's English-language service, Focus Taiwan, reported the same figures on the same day and said the number of unemployed was 2,000 lower than a year earlier.

Fewer unemployed, which officials attribute to graduates finding work

The official explanation is straightforward: graduates are gradually finding jobs. According to CNA, the number of first-time job seekers fell by 3,000, and the number of people who left a job because they were dissatisfied with it fell by 2,000. Focus Taiwan, citing DGBAS, likewise attributed the fall to more recent graduates finding work.

Put simply, of the roughly 6,000 fewer unemployed people between August and September, the 3,000 drop in first-time job seekers accounts for half, which is consistent with the official explanation.

After seasonal adjustment, the rate edged up

According to CNA, the seasonally adjusted September rate was 3.33%, up 0.01 percentage points from August. One figure fell and the other edged up, so they point in opposite directions.

When reading this kind of report, it helps to separate two things. The "26-year low for the month" compares September with the same month in earlier years, while the seasonally adjusted figure is used to track month-to-month change once seasonal factors are removed. The first compares this September with past Septembers; the second shows that, after adjustment, this month was only 0.01 percentage points higher than last month.

The labour force also changed. In September it was about 12.045 million, down 21,000 from August but up 8,000 from a year earlier. The labour force participation rate was 59.59%, down 0.1 percentage points from August.

The younger the age group, the higher the jobless rate

• Ages 15 to 24: 11.59%
• Ages 25 to 29: 5.69%
• Ages 30 to 34: 3.40%
• Ages 35 and above: all below 3%

Officials explain that most people aged 15 to 24 are looking for work for the first time and are still adjusting to the workplace. A record-low overall rate does not mean a first job is easy to find. Even for ages 25 to 29, 5.69% is still above the overall 3.36%.

Note that the reports cited here do not give the number of unemployed people aged 15 to 24, nor the youth jobless rate for the same month last year. These figures alone therefore cannot show whether young people are doing better or worse than a year ago.

For first-time job seekers and parents (editorial view)

What follows is the editors' view, not official data or a research finding. The figures for each age group are a snapshot of a single month, not the result of following the same people over several years, and should not be read as a guarantee that things improve after a few years.

Three questions to ask when choosing a first job

1. What will you actually do each day, beyond how the job title sounds?
2. Will someone guide you after you start, and whom can you ask when problems arise?
3. In a year, could you say specifically what you have learned?

Turn experience into portable skills

Transferable skills are those that remain useful after you change employer or industry, such as writing a clear email, organising a spreadsheet, talking to strangers and delivering by a deadline. Note down one concrete example of each, and you will have something to say at your next interview.

How parents can help

For ages 15 to 24, the jobless rate is above 10%, which means quite a few people are still looking for work. Rather than repeatedly asking about results, sit down with your child to read job descriptions closely and discuss which role offers the chance to learn. The value of a first job often lies not in where you start but in what you take away from it.

Prices and details correct as of October 2026

Compiled by the F50 Editorial Team from public sources, for general reference only and not professional advice. Details are correct as of the publication date and may change.