VietNamNet Bridge – Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thanh Hoa spoke with Thoi bao Kinh te Viet Nam (Vietnam Economic Times) about support needed for workers evacuated from Libya.

All of the Vietnamese that were working in Libya arrived safely home more than a month ago but they remain anxious due to a lack of support and work.

Why have labour export businesses failed to liquidate contracts and compensate their workers when they committed to do so in two weeks after the workers return?

Photo: Vietnam+

Unfortunately, it was through no fault of their employers that the workers were forced to return home. We should thank the exporters because they spent a great deal of money repatriating the workers. The businesses also suffered a great loss. They want the Government to help them partially cover the costs which is also a part of the contract liquidation. They are currently awaiting a decision. However, it is not only the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs that can solve the problem. Relevant ministries must continue to compile reports on the issue before it is properly handled.

I think the labourers should try to prepare themselves for a new life. The ministry has asked all Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs departments to create conditions for them to find jobs.

How will compensation for the workers be calculated?

The return of Vietnamese workers from Libya was a force majeure. That is why co-operation is needed between the State, businesses and labourers. The State paid a great deal of money to bring these workers home safely and provided them with VND1 million (US$47) each upon their return.

Support will be targeted at labourers in difficult circumstances who did not work in Libya for long enough to receive a complete compensation package.

The ministry has assigned the Overseas Labour Management Department to study and propose measures to support these labourers. This may come in the form of domestic jobs or more work abroad, in countries such as Malaysia.

How will the Fund for Overseas Labour be used?

We are still calculating how much support will be provided. We have regulations in place for regular instances, but not for a force majeure. The workers only recently returned from Libya, and we need to look into the issue. As I said in the short term, the fund has already paid out VND1 million per labourer, that's more than VND10 billion ($476,000), and this amount does not include the cost of getting them home safely.

Labour exporters complained that air fares were too high. Will they be compensated for this expense?

The ministry has proposed the Government compensate exporters because some of them may go bankrupt if they have to cover the costs themselves.

Have many of the returned labourers found jobs at home and are there any businesses capable of sending them to other foreign markets to work?

There are currently more than 10 companies with a combined registered recruitment capacity of 16,000 labourers. However, it still depends on where these labourers want to be sent. Many labourers work abroad because of the higher salaries. A significant number of workers have registered to go abroad again. But they must take out bank loans to pay security deposits to the labour exporters if they wish to return to overseas work. It is a difficulty at present. Most labourers who stay abroad for more than one year clear their bank loans. But that was not the case for labourers who were in Libya for only six months. These labourers live in the country's 62 poorest districts.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News