The unprecedented gap widened further in May, when there were still 172,000 foreign workers in the social-welfare sector but the number of migrant laborers working at the manufacturing and construction sectors declined to 169,000, the same CLA tallies indicated.

CLA officials regarded the decline in the number of foreign workers in the manufacturing and construction sectors as a result of the global financial tsunami on the sectors.

The officials said that the number of foreign workers in Taiwan peaked at 374,000 as of the end of July 2008, slightly dropped to 373,000 in November, and then declined all the way to 341,000 as of the end of May, representing a decrease of over 30,000 within six months due to the impact of global financial storm.

Much of the fall-off has come among workers in the manufacturing sector.

"The number of foreign laborers in manufacturing and construction sectors has always been larger than that of those in the social welfare sector, " a CLA official said.

Just one year earlier, industrial migrant workers outnumbered foreign workers in the service sector by 208,000 to 168,000.

In related news, domestic job seekers are eager to find jobs at government-linked enterprises such as Chunghwa Telecom, to secure better pay.

Chunghwa Telecom will hold a written test today for as many as 30,279 people who have registered to scramble for 236 job vacancies offered by the island's largest telecom service provider.

Chunghwa Telecom will first single out 700 applicants

who have performed well in the written test, give them oral tests on Aug. 22 and 23, and release the final list of 236 winners.

The new workforce will be dispatched to work at Chunghwa Telecom's branches in eight counties and cities, including Taipei City, Taipei County, Keelung City, Taoyuan County, Miaoli County, Taichung County, Taichung City, and Nantou County.

Meanwhile, in a bid to help reduce the jobless rate, the National Youth Commission has arranged for over 1,300 university graduates to take internships at non-profit organizations, according to Wang Yu-ting, minister of the NYC.

After speaking at the opening of the "Youth Policy Forum" held in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, Wang told the press that the NYC has successfully arranged for 1,300 university graduates to intern at organizations such as the Red-Cross Society, Eden Social Welfare Foundation, Genesis Social Welfare Foundation and Foguanshan Foundation for Buddhist Culture & Education.

In addition, the NYC is also launching a subsidy program for 18 people to take summer jobs at the overseas branches of the above-mentioned non-profit organizations. The registration deadline for applications is set at July 15, and those who are qualified will be granted a monthly subsidy of NT$18,000 from the NYC in August and September.

The NYC has also arranged for over 500 university students from low-income families to take summer jobs in universities this year, up from 360 posted last year.

Furthermore, the NYC has launched a three-month employment program for those who are aged under 29 and with

only senior high school education, in cooperation with local enterprises.

Under the program, the NYC will offer a monthly subsidy of NT$10,000 per person to enterprises granting short-term job opportunities. Several enterprises have promised to offer 2,000 job opportunities in total.