Net Benefit of Thai Workers from Working in Taiwan

Abstract

This article measures nominal economic cost and benefit from emigrating to work in Taiwan of Thai workers. It uses data from 111 questionnaires collected from 26 Thai workers who were about to leave for Taiwan for the first time, 25 who were re-entry, 50 who were working in Taiwan and 10 returned Thai workers. It finds positive net benefit meaning that after deducting cost, workers earn more from emigrating to work in Taiwan than working in Thailand on average. Net benefit increases with working duration in Taiwan, but at a decreasing rate. Workers with higher salary in Thailand are likely to receive higher net benefit. However, workers’ satisfaction from working in Taiwan is just moderate. They satisfy less about a job promotion, a pay raise and how they are not able to express opinions about jobs to their employers or bosses.