TAIWAN: Government Has Plans to Cope With Ageing Society

TAIPEI (The China Post), May 20, 2006: The Republic of China government plans to follow the international trend to work out effective measures to postpone the retirement age and improve employment opportunities for people in middle and advanced ages. The Republic of China had long joined the category of graying societies with senior citizens accounting for more than 7 percent of the total population. They estimated that the ratio of people over the age of 65 will shoot up to 16.5 percent in 2021 and more than double to 35.5 percent in 2051. Government here will adopt the guidelines of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to delay the retirement age and promote the employment of senior citizens, in addition to the establishment of a social security system. Life expectancy in Taiwan keeps extending while the childbirth rate continues dwindling year after year. Most employers who discriminate against people in middle or advanced ages give priority to younger people with cheaper labor costs. Many of them believe most jobs are unsuitable for such people as they lack skills to meet the vocational requirements in the modern world. The government itself must revise policies that tend to encourage people to quit working when they reach the retirement age of 60 or 65. Government has yet to implement effective measures to provide financial incentives to employers willing to hire those above 65 and people willing to stay on the job market after celebrating their 65th birthday. Copyright © 1999~2006 The China Post. All rights reserved