Vietnamese nurses and aides are on their way to Japan for work. (Artwork: Vietnamplus)

That is the content given in the conference summarising the work completed in 2021 and deploying the tasks for 2022, as organised by the Overseas Labour Management Department under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, on January 10.

In 2021, our country's activities towards sending workers abroad continue to face many difficulties and challenges due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The pandemic broke out in 230 countries and territories, deeply and comprehensively affecting all regions, especially key countries and territories receiving Vietnamese workers.

In addition, the new strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus spread rapidly. The COVID-19 epidemic also broke out in many provinces and cities in the country, profoundly affecting socio-economic life in the country.

Some markets that attracted a lot of laborers from our country in 2021 included Taiwan (China) - 19,531 people; Japan - 19,510 people; China - 1,820 people; and the Republic of Korea (RoK) - 1,036 people.

Last year, more than 45,000 Vietnamese workers were sent abroad, including more than 15,000 female workers. This figure only reached about 50% of the year's assigned plan, which expected a total of 90,000 employees.

Also in the year, the Overseas Labour Management Department participated in negotiations, and completed and submitted a proposal to the leaders of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs to sign an extension of the Memorandum of Understanding on sending labourers to work in the RoK under the EPS programme; and completed the dossier with agreement on the content of the extension of the Memorandum of Understanding between Vietnam and Malaysia regarding labour recruitment.

At the same time, the department advised the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs to report to the Government to establish a delegation and start negotiating an agreement between Vietnam and Israel on the recruitment of Vietnamese workers for a definite time in this country; while also drafting an agreement on labour recruitment between Vietnam and Thailand.

In 2022, this agency will focus on implementing key tasks and solutions, striving to achieve the plan assigned by the Government and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, to send 90,000 Vietnamese guest workers abroad, focusing on markets with high and stable income.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Ba Hoan emphasised several key tasks for the Overseas Labour Management Department in 2022. It is especially necessary to focus on disseminating and implementing the law such that the law on Vietnamese workers going abroad under contracts and guiding documents may come to life.