Taiwan’s TSMC Arizona fabs to create 12,000 jobs
台灣台積電亞利桑那州晶圓廠將創造12,000個就業機會
Chipmaker plans 6 fabs, 2 packaging plants, and R&D center across NT$4.97 trillion investment
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — TSMC Arizona President Rose Castanares said the company’s NT$4.97 trillion (US$165 billion) investment in Arizona will create 12,000 jobs once its six fabs are operational, Commercial Times reported on Friday.
The chipmaker announced an initial US$65 billion investment in 2020 to build three fabs in Arizona, supported by the US Chips Act. The first fab makes 4 nm chips and is expected to begin mass production in the first half of this year. Castanares said this initial investment will create about 6,000 jobs in the US, per Axios.
The Greater Phoenix Economic Council said TSMC's initial investment will create more than 20,000 construction jobs, per UDN. Tens of thousands of indirect jobs in suppliers and downstream industries are also expected.
The investment aims to produce 2 nm chips in Arizona by 2030, helping the US localize semiconductor manufacturing amid geopolitical risks, as all of TSMC’s advanced manufacturing currently takes place in Taiwan.
Castanares said the first Arizona fab began production last year and employs about 3,000 people. The third fab recently broke ground and is expected to start production by 2030, adding another 3,000 jobs, for a total of 6,000 jobs in Arizona from the initial three fabs.
In March, TSMC announced an additional US$100 billion investment in the US, which includes building three more fabs, two packaging plants, and a research and development center in Arizona. This second phase is expected to create another 6,000 jobs, bringing the total to 12,000 from both investments.
Meanwhile, labor issues have been challenging for TSMC’s Arizona fabs, with reports of cultural clashes between Taiwanese and US employees and criticism from US construction unions regarding safety during construction. TSMC has denied these allegations, emphasizing compliance with all regulations.