Over the past nine months, more than 65,000 Vietnamese guest workers have been sent to 34 countries and territories around the world. The largest number of them went to Taiwan (25,990), followed by the Republic of Korea (11,772), Malaysia (6,882), Japan (4,122), Arab Saudi and the United Arab Emirates (2,300-2,400).

 

A VOV reporter interviewed the Chairman of the Vietnam Labour Export Association, Nguyen Luong Trao, on the current situation of the labour market.

 

VOV: Judging from these figures, what is your assessment of the current labour market over the past nine months?

Mr Trao: Export labour businesses and the relevant agencies have made a great effort despite facing a lot of difficulties and challenges in recent times.

 

Vietnam’s labour markets can be divided into two categories – the big markets can receive 1,000 workers or more and the smaller ones can only receive small numbers.

 

Over the past nine months, 11 countries and territories considered as big markets have attracted more than 61,700 Vietnamese guest workers, accounting for 95 percent of the total. These are traditional markets which have received large numbers of Vietnamese guest workers for many years. Meanwhile, 23 remaining labour markets have received only around 5 percent of the total guest workers.

Against this background, “demanding” markets such as Canada and Australia have also received small numbers of Vietnamese workers. Other labour markets in Europe such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus have done the same.

 

In the meantime, new markets in some north European countries such as Finland and Denmark which are very strict on labour quality and visa application procedures have just started to receive Vietnamese workers.

 

Such markets often have high requirements for labour skills, level of foreign languages, sense of responsibility and discipline.

 

For markets with a higher level of income and social welfare, such requirements are even stricter. Therefore, it is imperative to develop a high-quality workforce on a sustainable basis to maintain and expand these labour markets in the future.

 

VOV: What are major difficulties in both domestic and foreign markets?

Mr Trao: The foreign markets currently require higher standards for labour skills and foreign languages. If such requirements are satisfied, we will possibly send large numbers of guest workers abroad.

 

In Vietnam, the number of highly skilled workers having a good command of foreign languages remains low, failing to meet requirements from demanding labour markets. It is essential to provide them with consultancy advice on labour-related issues so that they can feel secure to work abroad.

 

In fact, for lack of necessary information, many people have registered to work in some East European countries such as the Czech Republic and Slovakia without knowing they must meet basic conditions required by these markets.

 

For example, Malaysia is suitable for poor workers who have not been trained. If businesses make good contracts with employers in Malaysia, unqualified labourers will have stable incomes. And this market would develop.

 

Another objective factor is that due to the domestic and international situation, which is seriously affected by the financial and economic slowdown, labourers often have difficulties accessing bank loans to get employment overseas.

 

VOV: Some domestic businesses are actively training their workers and the MoLISA is implementing a project to train guest workers. However, the training is still slow-going and far from meeting the requirements of the domestic labour market. Does the training meet the requirements of foreign markets?

Mr Trao: The training is very challenging. Currently, the domestic labour market lacks highly qualified workers. Students who have graduated from vocational training schools only meet basic requirements.

 

The association has helped businesses to actively find a work force. It has encouraged them to train their workers themselves. Vietnam has a vocational training system and businesses should take advantage of this system. Businesses should find foreign partners and then coordinate with vocational training schools to train workers in accordance with their demands. For example, a school has co-operated with a Slovakian institute to provide training courses on request and certificates for trainees. If labour export businesses follow this model they will be able to supply highly qualified workers.

 

MoLISA is currently implementing a project to train workers under contracts signed by labour export businesses to help increase the number of qualified workers for labour export.

 

VOV: Thank you very much.