Le Van Thanh, Deputy Head of the MoLISA’s Department of Overseas Labour granted the VOV an exclusive interview in this connection.
Reporter: Could you first brief us on labour exports in 2012?
Mr Thanh: Last year, Vietnam exported 80,000 labourers or 88.9 percent of the set target. Although the total figure was not as high as expected, it was considered positive when the global economy’s recovery remained slow due to high unemployment in the labour market.
Since the beginning of the year, the MoLISA has tried its best to focus on some traditional markets which are in need of Vietnamese guest workers—Taiwan (30,533), Japan (8,755), the Republic of Korea (9,228), Malaysia (9,298), Macau (2,304), Saudi Arabia (2,360), UAE (1,731), and Cyprus (1,669).
In fact, labour exporters are cooperating with vocational training centres to improve the quality of guest workers.
Reporter: What about the department’s main targets this year?
Mr Thanh: As the department plans to send 85,000 workers abroad, its main focus will be on exploiting both old and new markets provided by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Workers will be offered refresher courses on the languages, customs, and laws of their would-be countries of residence.
The Department has released full information on labour contract conditions for workers to consider and decide where they wish to be employed. It has also coordinated with relevant agencies to identify and prevent negative developments in labour export as soon as possible.
Reporter: What are major markets for Vietnamese guest workers?
Mr Thanh: The MoLISA has mapped out a long-term strategy for labour export. Annually, it hopes to send more than 100,000 workers abroad as some nations have already altered their policies towards guest workers. For example, Malaysia’s minimum salary has increased as of January 1, 2013.The only question is how to make a good choice of potential labour markets.
In the Middle East, Libya has agreed to take back more guest workers from Vietnam. Around 700 are already employed there. The Qatar Ministry of Labour has coordinated with the MoLISA on a project to build a worker training centre catering to the Middle East market.
We are also developing a training programme for those workers wishing to go to Macau, Taiwan, and Malaysia.
Reporter: What are the prerequisites and criteria for guest workers in high-income countries?
Mr Thanh: As they all need high skilled workers, the MoLISA have a plan to train medical workers under a pilot project with Japan, Germany and Saudi Arabia.
The department is preparing to sign labour cooperation agreements with Russia, Laos, and Thailand in the near future.
VOV
