Brighter prospects for labour export in second half

Japan remains the largest recipient of Vietnamese workers

Vietnam is likely to fulfill its target of sending approximately 120,000 workers abroad under labour contracts during 2019.

According to statistics released by the Department of Overseas Labour Management, the number of Vietnamese migrant workers sent to work abroad in the first half of the year under labour contracts hit 66,983, fulfilling 55.82 per cent of the set plan for 2019.

A rise in the rate of fleeing workers

In the six-month period, Japan remains the largest recipient of Vietnamese workers with 33,549, trailed by Taiwan (China) with 27,137, the Republic of Korea (RoK) with 3,521, Romania with 1,021, and Saudi Arabia with 575.

Liem said that during the reviewed period, labour export activities saw  positive signs with plenty of opportunities for labourers. Aside from traditional jobs available for unskilled workers, going to work abroad has also created a window of opportunity for highly skilled workers.

Despite these positive signs, a number of problems have arisen from Vietnamese guest workers abroad. The number of workers fleeing remains on an upward trend although relevant agencies and localities have taken drastic measures to deal with the situation.

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs sent a document in May to cities and provinces to list a number of localities that have been temporarily banned from recruiting labourers to work in the RoK under the Employment Permit System (EPS).

These banned localities have seen the highest number of workers run away in order to illegally reside in the RoK. Each banned locality has seen over 60 workers flee.

According to the report released by the RoK on the rate and number of workers illegally residing in the country, the RoK will stop recruiting workers in localities that have failed to reduce the rate and number of workers illegally residing in the country.

In order to reshuffle the labour export activities of firms during the second half of the year, the Department of Overseas Labour Management, in collaboration with other agencies, have stepped up their inspections of labour export companies. For example, they have dealt with a number of violations in sending workers to work as housemaids in Saudi Arabia, in addition to resolving infringements relating to migrant workers overseas.

Bright prospects ahead for labour export market

Over the course of the reviewed period, there have been a number of positive signs in labour export activities. Dao Ngoc Dung, the Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Nasser Thani Al Hamli, Minister of Human Resources of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), regarding the recruitment of housemaids.

In addition to the signing of the MoU with the UAE, the Czech Republic has officially resumed the granting of long-term visas for Vietnamese workers as of June 6.

The Czech Embassy in Hanoi received the first batch of visa applications submitted by 200 Vietnamese workers who have plans to work in the central European country from August 2019.

Most notably, an additional MoU regarding the specific skilled workers programme  labour was signed between the MOLISA and Japan’s Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and National Police Agency during Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s recent visit to Japan.

In addition, the MOLISA and the National Institute of Technology KOSEN signed an MoU to resume co-operation activities of KOSEN training models throughout Vietnam.

These represent important legal frameworks that are set to open opportunities for Vietnamese students and workers who wish to study and work in Japan.

Despite this, experts have warned that Japan will not receive workers from nations that have yet to fulfill their responsibilities for admitting workers who are expelled from Japan.

Simultaneously, Japan will be cautious when granting visas to citizens from  other nations which have a high number of workers residing illegally in foreign countries, commit crimes, and break labour contracts in Japan.

In order to make the most of these opportunities, overseas study consultant agencies in localities are now required to improve the qualifications of workers and halt granting certificates for incapable workers.