Micron Gives Up to Five Years' Salary in Bonuses to Taiwan Production Staff Amid AI Memory Boom

Amid the AI-driven memory chip boom, US-based semiconductor manufacturer Micron Technology is distributing massive bonuses to its production-line employees in Taiwan. According to Digitimes, as reported by Tom's Hardware, approximately 700 eligible Micron employees in Taiwan will receive a lump-sum payout equivalent to five years' worth of salary. This accounts for about 17% of the more than 4,300 production-line staff working at Micron Taiwan. The remaining employees will also receive three bonuses in October.

The lump-sum payout consists of three incentives: an annual performance bonus estimated between 7.5 and 12.5 months of salary for most workers, a mass-production bonus amounting to 20% of their annual salary, and a one-time $31,000 (NT$1,000,000) appreciation bonus, which will be prorated for employees who haven't reached a full year of service. Additionally, Micron workers globally expect a new quarterly profit bonus starting in January 2027, paid 50% in cash and 50% in stock, with the first payment being 100% in cash.

This move reflects the extreme profitability of the current AI memory market. Micron is following in the footsteps of its South Korean rivals, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which have recently paid out massive bonuses to their workers of up to $400,000. As AI hyperscalers drive unprecedented demand for advanced storage products like High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), the big three memory chip manufacturers are raking in record orders and profits, leading production-line workers to demand a slice of the pie. For instance, Samsung workers voted to accept a $340,000 average bonus in May 2026, while SK Hynix workers are set to receive $477,000 in bonuses this year, potentially growing to almost $900,000 in 2027.