VietNamNet Bridge – The number of Vietnamese workers employed overseas in 2015 reached a record of more than 115,980, bringing the total number to more than 500,000, Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs Pham Thi Hai Chuyen said.

More Vietnamese workers than ever headed overseas for work last year.

The number heading overseas to work last year was 122 per cent of the annual plan and equal to 108.5 per cent of the figure in 2014, according to figures from the Department of Overseas Labor (DoOL) at the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs (MoLISA).

2015 was the second year the number of Vietnamese workers heading overseas exceeded 100,000, DoOL confirmed.

The number going to traditional markets such as Taiwan and Japan increased against 2014, at 67,121 to Taiwan, for a 108 per cent increase year-on-year, and 27,010 to Japan, an increase of 136.6 per cent.

Other markets also attracted high numbers, including Malaysia (7,354), South Korea (6,019), Saudi Arabia (3,975), and Algeria (1,963).

Domestic figures  

Regarding the domestic labor market, 52.9 million people were employed in Vietnam last year, Minister Chuyen said in her address.

Employment restructuring also saw positive changes, with the percentage of workers employed in agriculture falling to 44.3 per cent of the total in 2015 (down 4.4 per cent compared to 2010). The unemployment rate among those of working age remained low, at 2.31 per cent in 2015.

The change in the employment structure was good news but continues to proceed at a slow pace as the percentage of workers in agriculture is still high, Minister Chuyen said.

Another major issue is the low quality of domestic workers. The rate going through general training was about 51.6 per cent, but the number trained for three months or more and receiving qualifications was just 21.9 per cent.

VN Economic Times