The Korean Ministry of Employment and Labour said the country has plans to employ about 110,000 migrant workers this year to work at its farms and factories, but some businesses believed even more will be needed to keep them running.

Apart from working to raise the number of guest workers under the Employment Permit System (EPS), Vietnam's competent agencies have also discussed with Korean relevant units to loosen conditions, making it easier for shipbuilding workers to enter the RoK. Vietnam's labour management board in the RoK has also coordinated with the Vietnam EPS Labour Management Office and support centres for guest workers to diversify communication and support activities.

The office will coordinate with the labour management board and the Vietnamese Embassy in the RoK to provide training for the workers, helping them quickly integrate into the host society. Photo: Internet

Last year, Vietnam sent nearly 9,000 workers to the RoK under the EPS programme, out of 70,000 set for 16 selected countries. Head of the EPS Vietnam Office in the RoK Pham Minh Duc said up to 10,000 Vietnamese guest workers are expected to be sent to the RoK this year.

The office will coordinate with the labour management board and the Vietnamese Embassy in the RoK to provide training for the workers, helping them quickly integrate into the host society.

Joint efforts will also be made to popularise the Korean laws among the guest workers, and more measures will be taken to support them, he said. After the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, the Vietnam Centre for Overseas Labour helped to send 138 workers to the RoK, and received dossiers of nearly 6,000 others that satisfy Korean language requirements.

The Department of Overseas Labor will revise and sign more agreements and Memorandum of Understanding on labor cooperation with other countries, fine-tune legal documents on Vietnamese guest workers, maintain traditional labor markets, and expand the number of Vietnamese guest workers to work in new occupations in European countries to earn higher incomes and ensure stable jobs.

Nguyen Gia Liem, Deputy Director of the Department of Overseas Labor, said: “The Department of Overseas Labor will work with Vietnamese liaison offices in other countries and the Overseas Labor Management Boards to help businesses access information concerning procedures, immigration regulations, and contract terms. We’ll connect businesses and localities to prepare qualified workers to send abroad. We’ll enhance international cooperation, seek for markets with good and safe working conditions and high payment, negotiate contracts to ensure the rights and interests of workers, and prepare to handle arising problems.”

The Department of Overseas Labor will connect vocational education centers and enterprises to train skilled labor resources.

“We have signed cooperation programs to send workers to Australia, Japan, and Germany and train human resources to meet requirements of the labor markets,” said Mr. Liem.

Vietnam sent 142,000 workers to work abroad last year, mostly to Japan, Taiwan (China) and South Korea.

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