Chip War Intensifies: Countries and Semiconductor Companies Fight for Talent

Source: SemiVision

Recent raids by Taiwan’s prosecutors on 11 mainland Chinese companies, including Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), Torey, and Cloudnix, have exposed a critical front in the global "Chip War"—the fight for semiconductor talent.

These companies allegedly disguised themselves as international firms to establish subsidiaries in Taiwan, poaching local engineers in an effort to gain a competitive edge. As Taiwan tightens its grip on its prized semiconductor workforce, countries like Malaysia are launching bold initiatives to lure talent back home, underscoring the intensifying global competition for skilled professionals in this high-stakes industry.

Burn-Jeng Lin, a retired TSMC veteran and current dean of the College of Semiconductor Research at National Tsing-Hua University in Hsinchu, has criticized the geopolitical tensions surrounding semiconductors. He argues that resolving talent shortages requires reducing political interference rather than creating more semiconductor academies. However, with de-globalization already underway, companies like TSMC are expanding operations in the U.S., Japan, and Germany to meet customer demands. Its recent announcement for an additional US$100 billion further exacerbates the global talent gap.

This article is a collaboration between TechSoda and SemiVision. We offer the latest developments in semiconductor companies’ talent recruitment plans and insights for students who aspire to make an impact in the industry.

Read the article: https://techsoda.substack.com/p/chip-war-intensifies-countries-and