TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s TOEIC speaking and writing scores for 2023 ranked second in Asia, ahead of Japan and South Korea but behind the Philippines. 

Chun Shin CEO Pa Shih-cheng (巴士誠) said Taiwan’s scores have significantly improved compared to 10 years ago, per Business Today. “This indicates a significant improvement in both the demand for English communication skills and the emphasis on English education in Taiwan,” the CEO said.

National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST) Professor Yeh Ying-jung (葉穎蓉) said improvement in Taiwan’s English proficiency is related to the increase of international students. Since these students mostly come from Southeast Asia and Europe, where English is not their native language, Taiwanese students are encouraged to communicate in English, she explained.

However, employment needs remain the biggest driving force, Yeh argued. “In the past, speaking good Chinese was enough to go to China, but recently, Taiwanese businesses have returned, serving mostly international clients. Good English skills provide more job opportunities.”

Besides school internationalization, companies also played a crucial role in promoting English proficiency.

Fullchamp Technologies General Manager Tsai Yan-cheng (蔡彥生) said he mandated that all employees must complete 20 hours of English training within a year. Since the rule in 2014, the average TOEIC score of employees has increased from 320 to 450 points, he said.

Yeh said she hoped Taiwan’s bilingual environment continues to encourage students to learn a second foreign language. “Global mobility is a trend. Knowing an additional language opens many job opportunities.”