VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam is likely to achieve this year's target of sending 90,000 guest workers abroad despite the continuing global economic turbulence, a labour official said.

Dao Cong Hai, deputy director of the Overseas Labour Management Department, said more than 40,000 workers have gone abroad in the first half.

Taiwan was the largest recipient with 10,000 workers, followed by South Korea (5,000), Malaysia (4,000), Japan (3,000), and the Middle East and North African countries (20,000), according to department figures.

Hai said though the figure was not as high as in the corresponding period last year and below 50 per cent of this year's target, he was optimistic.

He blamed the decline in the number of workers sent abroad in the first half on the economic crisis, political instability in the Middle East and North Africa, and the public debt crisis in the EU.

These factors have severely limited the international labour market, hitting labour export countries like Viet Nam, he said.

The International Labour Organisation has warned that the labour crisis was likely to last until the end of this year.

Hai, however, believed the country can meet its target, saying many of Viet Nam's traditional labour markets were still achieving high economic growth.

Sanguine signs

"The Middle East labour market is recovering and likely to require a large number of workers from Viet Nam in the second half of the year and in future years," Hai said.

There were also other promising markets that would welcome Vietnamese guest workers soon, he added.

The Overseas Labour Management Department said several programmes have been under way to send guest workers to many markets.

Hai said the political situation in Libya has become more stable and the country was about to rebuild, presenting Viet Nam an opportunity to send workers back there.

Many Libyan employers have told Vietnamese labour companies to prepare to supply workers to resume projects there.
The department has allowed labour firms to sign long-term contracts to send 20 workers to Libya.

It said Viet Nam would send more guest workers to Libya in the near future, with priority given to workers who had to return home early last year before their contracts ended due to the political unrest.

Malaysia's labour demand has expanded and required a large number of Vietnamese workers in manufacturing, construction, agriculture, services, and domestic work.

Malaysians reportedly appreciate Vietnamese workers because they are hard working, diligent, uncomplaining, and try to integrate into the local community.

"Malaysia is a good market for Viet Nam since it offers high incomes and does not limit the number of guest workers," the department said.

The Japan International Training Cooperation Organisation and the department have signed a contract to send 4,000 Vietnamese workers to Japan.

Most of them will work as agricultural and nursing interns.

Japan does not limit the number of nursing interns because its demand for nurses is very high.

Viet Nam is now considering other markets, Hai said.

The department is working with labour firms to send workers to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and northern European countries like Sweden and Finland.

It is also working with relevant agencies to find drastic solutions to boost labour export.

The most important task now, however, was to improve the quality of guest workers to meet the increasingly high demand in foreign markets, Hai said.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News