As the labor market is expected to recover this year and demand for overseas guest workers is increasing, Vietnam aims to send 85,000 workers abroad in 2010, the Department for Worker Overseas Management said January 25.
Trainees take part in a construction course for workers seeking jobs abroad. (Filed photo)
To reach this target, an increase of 10,000 workers over last year the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs will continue focusing on key markets such as China, Taiwan (China), Malaysia, Japan and Korea.
The Ministry will also expand the domestic labor market into the Middle East where a large number of Vietnamese workers are expected to meet requirements in the next few years.
In the short term, the ministry will send 4,000 workers to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to work as security guards.
The Ministry will also endeavor to study new labor markets such as Australia, New Zealand and Canada, as well as sign seasonal contracts for fruit harvesting jobs in Finland and Sweden.
As of December 2009, nearly 75,000 Vietnamese workers had been recruited to work overseas on long-term labor contracts, fulfilling 83 percent of the country’s yearly target.
Also on January 25, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Tran Trung Dung, said this year’s target is to have 270,000 laborers sign contracts; decrease unemployment by 5.1 percent; implement vocational training for 400,000 people; and increase yearly income for 25,000-30,000 poor households to VND8 million (US$420) per person.
