- China has already formalised travel protocols with South-Korea and Singapore
- At least 10 industry associations issued statements requesting governments to allow international travel for essential workers
- U.S. associations including SEMI and Semiconductor Industry Association have endorsed the statements
Several semiconductor associations from Europe, Asia and the United States have requested the governments worldwide to allow international travel for professionals working in the semiconductor industry. These associations have also requested governments to provide accommodation for such people.
“Global supply chains require cross-border travel by key technical personnel and business continuity decision-makers to ensure that essential industry manufacturing and business operations remain efficient, effective and uninterrupted. While the industry continues to implement safety protocols and minimize non-essential travel to stem the spread of COVID-19, highly sophisticated equipment sets and materials usage from multiple nations will at times require specialized expertise that is not present in-country,” read a blog post by SEMI advocacy manager Karl Kailing.
China has formalised a travel protocol with South-Korea
China, leading the race, has already formalised international travel agreements for people essential people involved in the semiconductor industry with Singapore and South-Korea.
“On May 1, China and South Korea formalized an agreement that has made significant accommodations for semiconductor industry personnel to travel between the two countries. Last week, China and Singapore reached a similar deal – planned to take effect in early June – prioritizing travel for both executives and technicians,” noted Kailing in the blog.
Worldwide sales of semiconductors in April 2020 stood at $34.4 billion
The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) recently announced that worldwide sales of semiconductors were $34.4 billion for the month of April 2020. These figures represent 1.2 per cent less than the March 2020 total of $34.9 billion. These were 6.1 per cent more than the April 2019 total of $32.4 billion.
“Global semiconductor sales in April slipped slightly compared to the previous month, which is in line with seasonal trends, but significantly outpaced sales from April 2019. The global semiconductor market through April has shown early signs of resilience to the economic turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but significant uncertainty remains in the months ahead,” said John Neuffer, SIA president and CEO.
Worldwide Sales of Semiconductors in April 2020 Stood at $34.4 Billion: SIA
