Labor Export in 2011: The Target Is Within Reach
In 2010, thanks to the efforts of the Department of Overseas Labor Management under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and labor export enterprises, 86,000 workers were sent abroad, exceeding the target set for the year. Positive signals from international labor markets in 2011 provided grounds for optimism that labor export activities would continue to recover, making the target of 87,000 workers sent abroad achievable.
Increasing Market Demand
At a press conference held on January 26, 2011, Mr. Dao Cong Hai, Deputy Director General of the Department of Overseas Labor Management, expressed optimism that after the difficulties of 2009—when labor export failed to meet targets due to the effects of the global economic downturn and labor-receiving markets remained sluggish—the situation had improved significantly in 2010, especially during the final months of the year. The recovery of overseas labor markets contributed to the successful fulfillment of the labor export target assigned by the National Assembly.
According to statistics from the Department of Overseas Labor Management, 86,546 Vietnamese workers were sent abroad in 2010, reaching 100.6% of the annual plan and representing an increase of 16.4% compared with 2009. Of these:
- Taiwan received more than 28,000 workers.
- South Korea received nearly 9,000 workers.
- Japan received about 5,000 workers.
- Malaysia received more than 11,000 workers.
- The UAE and Libya each received over 5,000 workers.
At that time, more than half a million Vietnamese workers were employed in 40 countries and territories, remitting nearly USD 2 billion annually to Vietnam.
According to Mr. Hai, these achievements were made possible through the Government’s strong support, effective cooperation among ministries and agencies in promoting labor market development with foreign countries, and the continuous improvement of the legal framework governing overseas employment. This legal system helped strengthen state management and protect the legitimate rights of Vietnamese workers abroad.
In addition, labor export enterprises had become increasingly professional, experienced, and successful in building strong relationships with foreign labor markets. Vietnamese workers themselves had also improved in terms of discipline and professional skills, earning greater trust from overseas employers.
Strong Growth Expected in 2011
The Department of Overseas Labor Management forecast that the labor export market would continue to expand significantly in 2011. Traditional markets such as Taiwan, Malaysia, and South Korea were expected to attract large numbers of Vietnamese workers.
In particular, South Korean companies planned to recruit over 100,000 unskilled workers, mainly in manufacturing, production, electronics, and garment industries.
New markets in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa were also expected to develop strongly. According to projections, from 2011 to 2015, approximately 80,000 to 100,000 Vietnamese workers would have opportunities to work abroad each year, including around 40,000 workers from poor households.
Ensuring Sustainable Growth in Labor Export
Although labor export exceeded its target in 2010, experts noted that the sector still faced significant challenges.
For example:
- Malaysia, considered one of the most promising markets, saw nearly 100 labor export companies working hard throughout 2010, yet only around 11,000 workers were sent there.
- Taiwan, although the largest destination for Vietnamese workers, was becoming more difficult due to high brokerage fees and increasing concerns among employers over the rising number of workers absconding from their contracts.
- Japan and South Korea remained attractive because of higher incomes, but both markets were highly selective and had limited demand. Japan typically accepted only about 5,000 Vietnamese workers annually, while South Korea continued to impose stricter requirements regarding vocational skills and Korean language proficiency.
To achieve the target of sending 87,000 workers abroad in 2011, Mr. Le Van Thanh, Deputy Director General of the Department of Overseas Labor Management, stated that the Department would:
- Review the implementation of the Law on Vietnamese Workers Working Abroad.
- Finalize labor cooperation agreements with partner countries.
- Cooperate with the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to negotiate agreements on immigration management.
- Develop management measures for markets with large numbers of workers employed under individual contracts.
- Conduct regular and surprise inspections of labor export enterprises to ensure compliance with regulations.
- Support enterprises recruiting workers from poor districts under Decision No. 71 of the Prime Minister.
Raising Awareness and Preventing Violations
The Department also planned to intensify public information campaigns to improve awareness of the benefits and significance of overseas employment.
In 2011, cooperation with media organizations would continue to promote labor export policies and regulations, highlight effective recruitment and labor management models, and help prevent negative practices in the overseas employment sector.
Source: National Assembly Representative Newspaper (daibieunhandan.vn)