Taiwan’s dependent population will outnumber its working population earlier than previously forecast, according to a report released by the National Development Council on Monday.

In its latest biennial report, the government’s top planning agency maintained its forecast of Taiwan becoming a “super-aged society” — with 20 percent of the population 65 or older — in 2025.

The working population, however, is expected to become smaller than the dependent population by 2060, four years earlier than predicted in the 2020 report.

The revision reflected both a higher estimate of the senior population and a lower estimate of working-aged people in Taiwan by 2060 than were previously projected, according to the report.

The working population refers to people aged 15-64, while those below and above the working age are considered to be dependents. The ratio of dependents to working-age people was 42.2 to 100 (or 1 to 2.37) in 2022, the council said in the report.

That ratio will go up to 53.2 to 100 in 2030 and then hit 1:1 in 2060, the council predicted.

Meanwhile, the council maintained its view that people of working age will fall to two-thirds of the total population by 2028, putting a heavier burden on society and those aged 15-64 who have to support the dependent population.

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