(VOVworld) - Vietnam sent more than 88,000 people to work overseas in 2013, exceeding its yearly target. VOV’s reporter Thu Hoa looks at some positive signs that Vietnam will increase the number of overseas workers in 2014.

Vietnam expects to send 16,000 workers to the RoK in 2014

Regardless of various difficulties, the labor export sector has seen opportunities because the Republic of Korea has reopened its labor market to Vietnam. Other markets are beginning to receive skilled workers from Vietnam.

Opportunities for nearly 16,000 people to work in the Republic of Korea

The Vietnamese Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs and the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor signed a Memorandum of Understanding early this month. It was good news for nearly 16,000 Vietnamese workers. Under the MoU, which is valid for one year, the Republic of Korea will accept workers in three categories: people who passed a Korean language test in December, 2011, or in May or August, 2012; people from poor communes coming to South Korea to work in the agricultural sector who have registered to take a Korean language test in August 2014; and former workers in South Korea who returned home when their contract ended. Nguyen Ngoc Quynh, Director of the Department of Overseas Labor Management, says: “The Prime Minister has approved a pilot program that requires workers to deposit a sum of money before going to work abroad. We have obtained some initial results. The number of worker in South Korea not returning home when their contracts expire has diminished and the figure is expected to go down further. I believe we can renew our labor agreement with South Korea this year.”

Mr. Quynh said that because the temporary halt in sending workers to South Korea was rather long, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs has assigned the Center of Overseas Workers to re-train them in the Korean language and other necessary skills. 2,700 workers from poor communes going to South Korea to work in agriculture will be retrained in Korean under the Prime Minister’s decision 71.

Other opportunities

A number of traditional markets such as Japan, Taiwan, and Malaysia are expected to receive more Vietnamese workers in 2014. Dao Cong Hai, Deputy head of the Overseas Labor Management Department, says: “We expect to send up to 20,000 workers to Malaysia, 43,000 or more to Taiwan, China, 10,000 to Japan, and up to 12,000 to the Republic of Korea this year. The Middle East and North Africa are also potential labor markets which may need approximately 100,000 guest workers a year.”

Demanding markets have opened the door for highly qualified Vietnamese workers. For example, Vietnamese nurses have been sent to Germany and Japan. Vietnam has many advantages for sending workers to the Middle East to work in construction and services because its economy is recovering.

The number of businesses going bankrupt and the unemployment rate are both expected to increase in 2014, so, labor exports will play an important role in stabilizing the economy and reducing poverty. Relevant Vietnamese agencies are urged to do their best to reach the target of sending between 85,000 and 90,000 workers abroad this year.