VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) recently sent a letter to labour-export companies requesting a reduction of fees for Vietnamese workers before their departures to Taiwan.

Labour export to continue upward trend: official

Illustrative image. – File photo

According to the request, as of February 1 the total costs charged to a worker in industrial fields before his or her departure to Taiwan must not exceed US$4,000 for a three-year labour contract. Of these costs, the brokerage fee must not be greater than $1,500.

For those Vietnamese going to work at hospitals and health care centers, such as nurses and caretakers in Taiwan, the costs must not exceed $3,300 for a three-year labour contract. Further, the brokerage fee must not exceed $800.

As for the pre-departure deposit, the Ministry stressed that this cost must not exceed $1,000, as stipulated earlier in Decree 21 on the ceiling deposits for guest workers.

Nguyen Ngoc Quynh, director of the Department of Overseas Labour, said Taiwan was always a destination welcoming the largest number of Vietnamese guest workers.

However, costs to work there were usually very high and many labour-export agencies had tried to take advantage of this by overcharging workers, he added.

Last year, however, MOLISA prohibited companies from charging more than $4,500 per person to work in Taiwan. This year, the regulated amount for the costs fell to $4,000 to further protect workers.

Quynh said the Ministry had considered gradually reducing the regulated amount of cost requirements on an annual basis.

The ministry also required companies to provide workers with all papers, including invoices and air travel documents.

From February 1, those workers who are overcharged, according to the ministry's regulations, may lodge complaints with relevant State agencies. Reported companies may have their operations suspended for 30 days or longer, until the case is resolved.

Once confirmed as having violated the ministry's regulations by either overcharging or failing to provide workers with invoices and papers, labour-export companies will be fined and possibly suspended from sending workers to Taiwan for six to twelve months.

Additionally, Taiwanese companies that co-operate with violating Vietnamese companies will also be requested to temporarily stop employing Vietnamese guest workers.

Source: VNS