Taiwan’s job market is growing moderately in the latter half of this year with companies becoming more conservative due to global trade tensions, according to professional recruitment consultancy Robert Walters. However, there remains high demand for talent in the technology and software industry.

“We see an ongoing shortage of qualified technology talent in the market, especially in areas where niche skill sets are required, for example the internet of things, automation, smart machinery, research & development, artificial intelligence, and also virtual reality,” said John Winter, general manager of Robert Walters Taiwan.

The company also noted that 2020 is an election year in both Taiwan and the US and macroeconomic drivers are difficult to predict.

Robert Walters did report that pay increases are expected to remain static in 2020 except for those with in-demand technical skills.

The company also expects recruitment to be active in the healthcare sector. A survey by Robert Walters found that 86% of healthcare professionals are expecting an annual salary increase in the range of 1% to 6%. And when it comes to bonuses, 30% of healthcare professionals are expecting a bonus of between 11% and 15%.