The HCMC Department of Home Affairs has decided to attract more foreign talent in various sectors in the city, reported VnExpress news site, citing the fourth draft plan on attracting staff with special talents to HCMC in the 2018-2022 period.

Foreign workers are seen at a construction site in Vietnam

The previous draft had especially encouraged the recruitment of Vietnamese people and overseas Vietnamese. The department, however, noted that the expansion into the foreign labor group was necessary as it was aimed at adding talent to the city.

Besides this, the new draft also highlights incentives for talents who have published research or well-known intellectual products or who have been recognized by domestic or foreign organizations and agencies.

Accordingly, the city will sign labor agreements with these talents under the technology-transfer format, with transfer values not exceeding VND100 billion.

Under the draft, the incentive to offer initial support of VND50 million to other workers remains unchanged, and the amount provided to help them cover monthly living expenses was revised up from VND20 million to VND50 million.

The Department of Home Affairs said people with special talents are required to have physical and mental strength, moral values and dedication, sufficient qualifications and knowledge and high creativity. 

In recent years, HCMC and some provinces and cities have offered multiple incentives and preferential policies to attract talent but have fallen short of their expectations. The failure was attributed by some experts to the State’s complicated conditions and lengthy procedures.

Nguyen Ngoc Giao, chairman of HCMC's Union of Science and Technology Associations, proposed making  immigration policy easier for qualified laborers and assessing them based on the efficiency of their work. The city should also award them for their achievements.

Giao also suggested that the city divide the plan into two parts, with one aimed at recruiting professional staff for agencies and departments and the other aimed at recruiting talent and scientists working in hi-tech industrial zones.

SGT