TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s military fill rate has climbed to 79.2% this year and is expected to reach 80% next month, according to a Ministry of National Defense report.

The report said volunteer soldiers account for 76.9% of all personnel, while one-year conscripts make up about 2.3%, per CNA. The update came ahead of Defense Minister Wellington Koo’s (顧立雄) Thursday briefing to lawmakers on strategies to address manpower shortages, per Liberty Times.

Officials said the ministry has focused this year on reducing attrition and boosting retention. This includes easing enlistment qualifications to attract more candidates.

Despite those efforts, Taiwan’s shrinking pool of eligible conscripts remains a concern. Interior Ministry data show the number of eligible men fell below 100,000 for the first time in 2023 and could drop under 80,000 by 2027 as low birthrate weighs on recruitment.

Retention, however, has improved steadily. The overall retention rate rose from 78.3% in 2022 to 82% in 2024 and now averages 86.5%.

The ministry also reported that disqualifications have fallen sharply, from 5,509 in 2022 to 2,900 so far this year. Meanwhile, the share of one-year conscripts has reached 2.9% of total personnel and is projected to keep rising through 2027.