75,000 jobless workers filed for unemployment payments in October. It was the fourth straight month of declines but is still higher than jobless numbers recorded prior to the financial crisis.

According to CLA statistics, about 87,000 displaced workers applied for benefits with the Labor Insurance Bureau in October, 12,000 fewer than in September and August. July saw about 110,000 applications for unemployment benefits, while more than 130,000 people filed for payments in June.

The aggregate payout of unemployment benefits also declined steadily, totaling NT$2.5 billion in June, NT$2.2 billion in July, NT$1.7 billion in both August and September and NT$1.49 billion in October.

Although fewer people are applying for unemployment assistance, the current level is still higher than before the financial crisis, when the average payout per month was about NT$500 million for 30,000 cases, added an official from the CLA.