Many new markets open for high quality labor

In 2024, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs aims to send 125,000 workers to work abroad, focusing on stable, high-income markets such as Japan, Taiwan (China), Korea, Germany, etc. Illustration photo: ST

More opportunities for high-quality workers to come to Japan

According to a report by the Department of Overseas Labor Management (Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs), in the first 6 months of 2024, the total number of Vietnamese workers working abroad is 78,640 workers, reaching 62.91% of 2024 plan. Japan is the market receiving the most Vietnamese workers in the first 6 months of the year with 40,596 workers, followed by Taiwan (China), Korea, China, etc. Up to now, The whole country has more than 600,000 workers working in 50 countries and territories, each year transferring about 4 billion USD in foreign currency through official channels, not including other channels.

Currently, Vietnamese workers work abroad in many types, industries, and jobs such as: manufacturing (mechanical, textile, footwear, electronic assembly, etc), construction, agriculture, fisheries (fishing and aquaculture) and services (care for the elderly, sick people, domestic help). Good working and living conditions, guaranteed welfare regime. Workers' income is quite high and stable, ranging from 1,200-1,600 USD/month in the Japanese and Korean markets; from 800-1,200 USD/month in Taiwan (China) and European countries; from 700-1,000 USD/month for skilled workers, and from 500-600 USD/month for unskilled workers in the Middle East and African markets, etc.

Assessing the situation of sending Vietnamese workers to work abroad in the first half of 2024, Mr. Pham Viet Huong, Deputy Director of the Department of Overseas Labor Management, said that foreign markets are receiving many Vietnamese workers, such as Japan, Taiwan, and Korea, some new markets are also in demand for Vietnamese workers, such as Eastern European countries: Romania, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Serbia, etc.

In particular, the labor market in the Middle East and Africa countries, after a period of quietness, is now trending again. The authorities of these countries are asking Vietnam to promote the return and reception of Vietnamese workers by proposing to organize meetings, online and direct exchanges, negotiations and signing labor cooperation agreements.

According to Mr. Tong Hai Nam, Director of the Department of Overseas Labor Management, through the survey, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) want to receive workers in mechanical engineering fields, construction, manufacturing, restaurant, hotel, beauty services, etc with salary from 600 USD/month. For workers with technical qualifications, skill certificates and foreign language skills, the salary can reach 1,000 - 1,500 USD/month. At the same time, high-income labor markets such as Japan, Korea, Australia or some European countries are facing serious labor shortages due to aging populations and a shrinking labor force. This is an opportunity for Vietnamese workers and shows that there is still great room to continue developing high-income foreign labor markets.

Focus on expanding the European market

In recent years, Japan has continuously been the leading market in receiving Vietnamese workers to work in many fields. Notably, on June 12, 2024, Vietnam and Japan signed a contract to provide nurse practitioner trainees to work in Japan in a non-profit form with the goal of increasing the number of nurses in the next 5 years, expected to be 500 people.

According to Mr. Dang Huy Hong, Director of the Center for Overseas Labor (Colab), Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, this year it is expected to select 40 nursing interns to send to Japan. Notably, previously, the program only recruited nursing graduates, but now it has expanded the recruitment group and sending conditions because the Japanese side wants to increase the number working in large hospitals. Accordingly, the profession was expanded to include community health, and nursing training was accepted. Candidates who graduate from high school will be ordered so vocational schools can train them in nursing for one year to perfect their skills and Japanese language before being sent away.

In the Korean market, the EPS Program to send workers to Korea this year also attracted a large number of Vietnamese workers to register, the number of registered people reached a record of nearly 45,000 people, three times the reception target, which is the largest number in 20 years of implementation. The Korean language proficiency exam was held in 4 provinces: Hanoi, Thanh Hoa, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City from March 2024 to the end of June 2024.

According to Mr. Pham Viet Huong, in the coming time, the Department of Overseas Labor Management will look for new markets and expand to Europe because of good working conditions and income. Currently, many countries in this region are in need of receiving Vietnamese workers, especially in the agricultural sector. In 2024, improving the quality of Vietnamese workers working abroad under contracts is identified as a key task.

Along with stabilizing and maintaining existing markets, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs will develop and expand high-income markets, being suitable to the qualifications and skills of Vietnamese workers. At the same time, strengthen information and propaganda work and guide businesses to proactively prepare labor resources, and perform well the work of fostering vocational skills and foreign languages ​​for workers before going to work abroad.