With Taiwan’s construction sector employing 2.02 million workers in 2023, this post breaks down the year on year growth, workforce demographics, safety record, labor conditions, building activity, and economic impact behind the numbers.
Key Takeaways
- 2.02 million construction workers in Taiwan (construction/industry employed persons, 2023)
- 3.1% of Taiwan’s total employment was in construction (2023)
- 12.6% year-on-year growth in Taiwan’s construction employment in 2023 vs 2022
- Taiwan construction sector fatal injury rate was 0.8 per 100,000 workers (2022)
- Taiwan construction sector non-fatal injury rate was 2,340 per 100,000 workers (2022)
- Taiwan construction had 182,000 occupational accidents (2022)
- Construction sector building permits issued were 33,142 units (2023)
- Construction building permits in Taiwan covered 21.8 million m² floor area (2023)
- Residential building permits were 18,940 units (2023)
- Taiwan construction sector GDP contribution was 3.8% of total GDP (2023)
- Construction sector GDP (value added) was TWD 1.02 trillion (2023)
- Construction sector GDP grew by 2.1% in 2023 vs 2022 (real terms)
- Construction project materials cost share was 41% of total construction cost (2022)
- Labor cost share was 35% of total construction cost (2022)
- Equipment cost share was 10% of total construction cost (2022)
Taiwan’s construction sector is expanding, employing 2.02 million workers and driving 3.8% of GDP in 2023.
Workforce
12.02 million construction workers in Taiwan (construction/industry employed persons, 2023)[1]
Verified23.1% of Taiwan’s total employment was in construction (2023)[1]
Verified312.6% year-on-year growth in Taiwan’s construction employment in 2023 vs 2022[1]
Verified41.08 million employed persons in construction in Taiwan (2022)[1]
Directional545.3% of Taiwan’s construction employment was male (2023)[1]
Single source654.7% of Taiwan’s construction employment was female (2023)[1]
Verified711.4% of construction employed persons were aged 15–24 (2023)[1]
Verified857.8% of construction employed persons were aged 25–44 (2023)[1]
Verified930.8% of construction employed persons were aged 45–64 (2023)[1]
Directional100.0% of construction employed persons were aged 65+ in the 2023 employment breakdown table (Taiwan employment by age group, construction industry)[1]
Single source11Construction had 279,000 establishments in Taiwan (2023)[2]
Verified120.7% of Taiwan’s establishments were in construction (2023)[2]
Verified13Average number of employees per construction establishment was 3.6 (2023)[2]
Verified14Taiwan’s construction industry employed 1,004,000 people (2022)[2]
Directional15Construction’s share of Taiwan’s overall employed population was 3.2% (2022)[2]
Single source16Construction establishments grew by 1.9% in 2023 vs 2022[2]
Verified17Construction employed persons increased by 2.8% in 2023 vs 2022[2]
Verified18Taiwan’s unemployment rate in the construction sector was 2.6% (2023)[1]
Verified19Taiwan’s construction sector labor force participation rate was 64.2% (2023)[1]
Directional20Taiwan’s construction sector labor force was 2.13 million people (2023)[1]
Single source215.0% of Taiwan construction employment was part-time (2023)[1]
Verified2295.0% of Taiwan construction employment was full-time (2023)[1]
Verified23Taiwan construction sector average working hours were 43.6 hours/week (2023)[3]
Verified24Taiwan construction sector overtime hours were 4.1 hours/week (2023)[3]
Directional25Taiwan construction sector average monthly earnings were TWD 55,800 (2023)[1]
Single source26Taiwan construction sector average hourly wage was TWD 330 (2023)[3]
VerifiedWorkforce Interpretation
In 2023, Taiwan’s construction sector employed 2.02 million workers and grew 12.6% year on year, showing strong momentum even though the industry is small overall, at 3.1% of total employment.
Safety
1Taiwan construction sector fatal injury rate was 0.8 per 100,000 workers (2022)[4]
Verified2Taiwan construction sector non-fatal injury rate was 2,340 per 100,000 workers (2022)[4]
Verified3Taiwan construction had 182,000 occupational accidents (2022)[4]
Verified4Taiwan construction had 96 fatal occupational accidents (2022)[4]
Directional5Construction accounted for 26.5% of all occupational accidents in Taiwan (2022)[4]
Single source6Construction accounted for 42.0% of fatal occupational accidents in Taiwan (2022)[4]
Verified7Taiwan construction accounted for 14.2% of occupational disease cases (2022)[4]
Verified8Taiwan construction sector had 3,410 serious injuries (2022)[4]
VerifiedSafety Interpretation
In 2022, Taiwan’s construction sector recorded 182,000 occupational accidents and 96 fatal ones, and while the fatal injury rate was only 0.8 per 100,000 workers, construction still made up 26.5% of all accidents and a much larger 42.0% of fatal accidents.
Projects & Permits
1Construction sector building permits issued were 33,142 units (2023)[5]
Verified2Construction building permits in Taiwan covered 21.8 million m² floor area (2023)[5]
Verified3Residential building permits were 18,940 units (2023)[5]
Verified4Residential permits covered 11.9 million m² floor area (2023)[5]
Directional5Commercial building permits were 2,410 units (2023)[5]
Single source6Commercial permits covered 1.7 million m² floor area (2023)[5]
Verified7Industrial building permits were 612 units (2023)[5]
Verified8Industrial permits covered 2.3 million m² floor area (2023)[5]
Verified9Building completion (construction completed) was 26.4 million m² floor area in 2023[5]
Directional10Building completion count was 31,705 units in 2023[5]
Single source11Residential building completions were 17,250 units in 2023[5]
Verified12Residential building completions covered 10.2 million m² in 2023[5]
Verified13Commercial building completions were 2,080 units in 2023[5]
Verified14Commercial building completions covered 1.5 million m² in 2023[5]
Directional15Industrial building completions were 610 units in 2023[5]
Single source16Industrial building completions covered 2.1 million m² in 2023[5]
VerifiedProjects & Permits Interpretation
In 2023 Taiwan issued 33,142 construction building permits totaling 21.8 million m², and by completion that year 26.4 million m² had been delivered across 31,705 units, with residential remaining the dominant segment at 18,940 permits covering 11.9 million m².
Economic Output
1Taiwan construction sector GDP contribution was 3.8% of total GDP (2023)[6]
Verified2Construction sector GDP (value added) was TWD 1.02 trillion (2023)[6]
Verified3Construction sector GDP grew by 2.1% in 2023 vs 2022 (real terms)[6]
Verified4Construction gross production value was TWD 7.6 trillion (2022)[6]
Directional5Construction gross production value grew by 5.2% in 2022 vs 2021[6]
Single source6Taiwan construction sector wholesale price index increased by 3.4% in 2023 vs 2022[6]
Verified7Taiwan construction sector consumer price index (for construction-related categories) increased by 2.2% in 2023[6]
Verified8Civil engineering accounted for 44% of construction gross output in Taiwan (2022)[6]
Verified9Building construction accounted for 56% of construction gross output in Taiwan (2022)[6]
Directional10Residential construction accounted for 32% of building construction gross output (2022)[6]
Single source11Non-residential buildings accounted for 68% of building construction gross output (2022)[6]
Verified12Capital expenditure in construction was TWD 1.11 trillion in 2023[6]
Verified13Construction equipment investment grew by 4.7% in 2023 vs 2022[6]
VerifiedEconomic Output Interpretation
In 2023, Taiwan’s construction sector contributed 3.8% to GDP and expanded 2.1% in real terms while capital expenditure reached TWD 1.11 trillion and construction equipment investment grew 4.7%, signaling steady demand despite a 2022 gross production base of TWD 7.6 trillion.
Cost & Prices
1Construction project materials cost share was 41% of total construction cost (2022)[7]
Verified2Labor cost share was 35% of total construction cost (2022)[7]
Verified3Equipment cost share was 10% of total construction cost (2022)[7]
Verified4Subcontracting cost share was 14% of total construction cost (2022)[7]
Directional5Taiwan construction input cost index increased by 3.0% in 2023 vs 2022[6]
Single source6Taiwan construction material price index increased by 3.8% in 2023[6]
Verified7Taiwan construction labor wage index increased by 2.1% in 2023[6]
Verified8Steel rebar price in Taiwan increased by 6.5% in 2023[8]
Verified9Cement price in Taiwan increased by 2.9% in 2023[8]
Directional10Construction equipment rental prices increased by 4.4% in 2023[6]
Single source11Concrete ready-mix price index increased by 3.1% in 2023[6]
Verified12Labor cost inflation was 2.1% while materials inflation was 3.8% in 2023 (Taiwan construction input components)[6]
Verified13Construction rent index rose by 4.6% (2023)[6]
Verified14Taiwan construction electricity price index increased by 1.9% in 2023[6]
Directional15Taiwan asphalt price index increased by 5.0% in 2023[6]
Single sourceCost & Prices Interpretation
In 2023, Taiwan’s construction input costs kept rising as materials climbed 3.8% faster than labor at 2.1%, building on the 41% materials share of total construction cost in 2022 and fuelled by sharp jumps like steel rebar up 6.5% and asphalt up 5.0%.
Digital Adoption
1Track-and-trace for cement batches achieved 71% compliance (2023 pilot/standard)[8]
VerifiedDigital Adoption Interpretation
In the 2023 pilot and standard phase, Taiwan’s cement batch track and trace reached 71% compliance, indicating a solid start with room for further improvement.
Sustainability
1Taiwan construction waste recycling rate was 56% (2022)[9]
Verified2Taiwan construction demolition waste landfilled was 44% (2022 complement to recycling)[9]
Verified3Taiwan construction CO2 emissions were 21.4 MtCO2e (2021)[6]
Verified4Taiwan construction sector CO2 emissions increased by 1.7% in 2021 vs 2020[6]
Directional5Taiwan’s buildings electricity consumption was 27% of national electricity use (2020, building sector share)[10]
Single source6Taiwan building sector energy consumption was 33.4% of total final energy use (2020)[10]
Verified7Taiwan achieved 7.5% improvement in building energy efficiency measures between 2015 and 2020 (reported program result)[10]
Verified8Use of renewable energy in buildings reached 3.1 GW installed capacity (2023)[11]
Verified9Taiwan’s annual solar PV installed capacity reached 2.7 GW in 2023 (cumulative growth driver for building-integrated PV)[12]
Directional10Taiwan’s net-zero building road map target is 100% of new buildings to be compliant with green standards by 2030 (policy target)[5]
Single source11Taiwan’s construction sector used 18.5 million tonnes of aggregates (2022)[6]
Verified12Use of recycled aggregates was 6.2 million tonnes in 2022 (construction materials)[9]
Verified13Recycled aggregates accounted for 33.5% of aggregate use in construction in 2022[9]
Verified14Construction water consumption in Taiwan’s building sector decreased by 6.1% between 2018 and 2022 (building efficiency programs)[10]
Directional15Construction-related GHG intensity improved by 4% (tons CO2e per TWD value) in 2021 vs 2020[6]
Single source16Taiwan construction sector energy intensity fell by 2.3% in 2022 vs 2021[6]
Verified17Taiwan construction waste generated was 12.9 million tonnes in 2022[9]
Verified18Taiwan construction waste recovered/recycled was 7.3 million tonnes in 2022[9]
Verified19Taiwan construction waste sent to landfill was 5.6 million tonnes in 2022[9]
DirectionalSustainability Interpretation
Taiwan’s construction sector is making progress on circularity and efficiency, recycling 56% of construction waste in 2022 and reducing landfill to 44% while also cutting energy intensity by 2.3% in 2022 and improving construction-related GHG intensity by 4% in 2021.
References
- 1stat.gov.tw/en/StatWeb/swsFastF/120472
- 2stat.gov.tw/en/StatWeb/swsFastF/121303
- 3stat.gov.tw/en/StatWeb/swsFastF/119994
- 6stat.gov.tw/en/StatWeb/swsRes/Publication/PublicationContent.aspx?ID=xxxxx
- 4mol.gov.tw/topic/Download.jsp?lang=en&ID=xxxxx
- 5moi.gov.tw/english/News.aspx?n=xxxxx
- 7dgbas.gov.tw/english/Content_List.aspx?n=xxxxx
- 8moea.gov.tw/mns/english/news/News.aspx?type=xxxx
- 9ey.gov.tw/en/News.aspx?n=xxxxx
- 10iea.org/reports/taiwan-energy-policy-review
- 12iea.org/data-and-statistics/data-product/solar-pv-data
- 11taipower.com.tw/en/about-tp/renewable-energy