The prospects of working abroad are broadening with several Eastern European nations expressing interest in hiring Vietnamese staff.
Pham Viet Huong, deputy director of the overseas Labour Management department at the ministry of Labour, invalids and Social Affairs, said that alongside established markets like Japan, Taiwan (China) and the Republic of Korea (RoK), there is growing demand for Vietnamese labour in new markets such as Romania, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Serbia.
Vietnamese workers are currently employed abroad in diverse sectors such as mechanical engineering, textiles, footwear, electronics assembly, construction, agriculture, fisheries, elderly care, healthcare and household assistance. They enjoy favourable working and living conditions, including welfare benefits.
Income levels for these workers are relatively stable and range from 1,200-1,600 USD per month in markets like Japan and the RoK, 800-1,200 USD per month in Taiwan (China) and European countries, 700-1,000 USD per month for skilled workers and 500-600 USD per month for unskilled workers in the Middle East and Africa.
Huong noted that Japan has consistently been the top destination for Vietnamese workers in recent years across multiple sectors.
In June 2024, Vietnam and Japan signed an agreement to increase the number of technical intern trainees, with plans for 40 trainees this year and 500 over the next five years. This agreement also broadens recruitment categories and conditions, particularly aiming to boost employment in large hospitals.
Vietnamese workers in Japan typically comprise up to 50% of the total annual overseas workforce. By 2023, Vietnam had surpassed China to become Japan’s largest group of foreign workers, numbering over 518,360 individuals – a significant 63.6% increase over five years.
In the RoK, this year’s Employment Permit System (EPS) has seen a surge in Vietnamese applicants, hitting a record of nearly 45,000, three times the intake quota and the highest in its 20-year history.
The Korean language proficiency test was held in four provinces and cities of Hanoi, Thanh Hoa, Da Nang and HCM City from March to June 2024. Currently, over 600,000 Vietnamese workers are employed in 50 countries and territories, contributing around 4 billion USD annually.
Huong said that the Department of Overseas Labour Management plans to explore new markets and expand into Europe in the near future due to favourable working conditions and income opportunities. Several countries in this region currently have a demand for Vietnamese workers, particularly in agriculture.
According to a report from the Overseas Labour Management Department, in the first six months of 2024, a total of 78,640 Vietnamese workers were employed abroad, reaching 62.91% of the year’s target.
Japan led the way by accepting 40,596 Vietnamese workers, followed by Taiwan (China) with 27,837 workers, the RoK with 5,582, China with 1,080 and various other markets. In June 2024 alone, more than 12,780 Vietnamese workers were employed abroad. – VNA
