Here's an overview of the situation in Vietnam and comparisons with some foreign countries:

Vietnam

In Vietnam, social security for migrant workers is regulated under various labor laws and international agreements. Key aspects include:

1. Domestic Migrant Workers:

Workers who migrate from rural areas to urban centers in Vietnam are entitled to social security benefits, including health insurance, unemployment insurance, and retirement benefits.

The Social Insurance Law mandates that employers register workers for social insurance and make contributions.

Challenges:

• Informal employment often excludes workers from formal social security coverage.
• Limited awareness among workers about their rights.

2. Foreign Migrant Workers in Vietnam:

Foreign workers in Vietnam are required to contribute to social insurance if they have a labor contract exceeding one year.

Benefits include maternity leave, health insurance, and pension schemes.

Vietnam has signed bilateral labor agreements with countries like South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, providing frameworks for better social security coordination.

Challenges:

Language barriers and administrative complexity.

Lack of portability of social security benefits when workers return to their home countries.

Vietnamese Migrant Workers Abroad:

Vietnam exports labor to countries such as South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan under formal agreements.

Efforts are made to ensure workers are covered by the host country’s social security systems, but enforcement and portability remain issues.

The government has been working to negotiate bilateral and multilateral agreements for social security coordination.

The situation on social security for migrant workers in some foreign Countries

1. South Korea:

• The Employment Permit System (EPS) ensures migrant workers are covered under the national social security system.
• Workers contribute to health insurance, workplace injury compensation, and national pension schemes.
• Bilateral agreements allow some portability of benefits.

2. Japan:

• Under the Technical Intern Training Program, foreign workers contribute to the national health insurance and pension schemes.
• Challenges include exploitation in the trainee system and difficulty accessing benefits after returning to their home country.

3. European Union:

• EU member states coordinate social security through agreements under the European Economic Area (EEA) framework, ensuring portability of benefits across borders.
• Non-EU migrant workers also benefit from host country systems, though integration levels vary.

4. Gulf Countries:

• Migrant workers, predominantly in construction and domestic work, often lack comprehensive social security coverage.
• Some countries, like Qatar and the UAE, have introduced reforms to improve labor protections, but implementation gaps persist.

How to improve

1. Portability of Benefits: Bilateral or multilateral agreements should ensure workers can transfer accrued benefits between home and host countries.
2. Inclusion of Informal Workers: Domestic systems must address informal employment to extend coverage to vulnerable workers.
3. Awareness Campaigns: Both governments and NGOs should raise awareness about rights and social security benefits among migrant workers.
4. Digitalization: Leveraging digital tools to simplify registration and claims processes can reduce administrative hurdles.
5. Global Cooperation: Enhanced international collaboration is needed, particularly under frameworks like the International Labour Organization (ILO), to standardize protections for migrant workers globally.