Amid US export curbs, Chinese tech giant Huawei is allegedly offering triple salaries to entice Taiwanese semiconductor engineers, particularly those from TSMC, to join its ranks.
Wccftech and Tom's Hardware, citing reports from Le Monde, indicate that TSMC engineers have received recruitment emails from firms linked to Huawei as the company seeks talent amid ongoing US sanctions. These restrictions on Chinese firms like Huawei and SMIC, which limit access to semiconductor technologies and equipment, have forced the companies to rely on external talent and third-party resources.
Taiwanese authorities are investigating companies that appear to be data analysis firms but are suspected of recruiting Taiwanese semiconductor talent to support China's advanced semiconductor development.
While the offer of triple salary compensation is attractive, engineers are primarily wary of the long-term career consequences, as joining Huawei may limit their future job prospects with other Taiwanese or Western companies.
Huawei's recruitment drive appears to extend beyond hiring engineers for their expertise; the company may be seeking to acquire technical secrets from their previous employers, potentially engaging in commercial espionage with associated criminal risks. Additionally, the uncertainties of working in China, including the work environment, working hours, and possible surveillance by authorities, have made many TSMC engineers reluctant to accept these offers.
In response to these rumored poaching efforts, TSMC has implemented salary increases and additional benefits to retain engineers. The company has also enforced strict confidentiality measures, including project segregation systems, to prevent employees from accessing overly sensitive information, thus safeguarding its patented technologies from leakage.
