Seventy per cent of Vietnamese professionals who have gone overseas to work are interested in returning to Vietnam, according to a recent white paper entitled “Return of the Asian Talent” from specialist professional recruitment firm Robert Walters.

The three main reasons why they consider returning home are to care for ageing parents, the perceived ability to earn a higher salary after working overseas, and their affinity with their home culture, the report noted. 

“As a result, the top three factors they look for in an employment package are a salary increment (over local rates), clear career progression, and flexible working arrangements,” it added.

“Outbound mobility in Vietnam has increased significantly over the past decade and many companies in Vietnam face a severe shortage of skilled local talent,” said Mr. Gerrit Bouckaert, Country Manager at Robert Walters Thailand and Vietnam.

Local businesses in Vietnam are now very keen to engage skilled Vietnamese professionals who have gained international experience but understand the local culture and language better than any expatriate, he went on. 

“This will enable organizations to develop high-potential local talent and prepare them to take on middle-management and senior positions,” he said.

The three main sectors in Vietnam they are keen on seeking employment in are in Accounting and Finance, Banking and Financial Services, and Information Technology.

Though Vietnamese that have studied overseas are good at foreign languages and boast good skill sets, they still have difficulty finding employment in Vietnam, according to information presented at Connect the Dots Day in Hanoi on August 20.

Such students are familiar with foreign workplace environments, which are completely different from Vietnamese workplaces. They can therefore take some time to become familiar with the “new” environment.

Many enterprises also give priority to domestic graduates because overseas graduates often have more demands in terms of workplace environment.

There are also many Vietnamese people who wish to forego their Vietnamese nationality. At the annual meeting of the government on August 31, Minister and Chairman of the Office of the Government Mai Tien Dung cited Ministry of Justice figures showing that in 2015 about 4,000 Vietnamese sought to forego their Vietnamese nationality. Only 30 then asked to have their Vietnamese nationality reinstated.

Among people wishing to forego their Vietnamese nationality, most do so to acquire the nationality of their foreign spouse.

While encouraging Vietnamese citizens to study and work overseas, the government is nonetheless concerned about brain drain.

VN Economic Times