Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Vietnamese workers are poised to benefit from asurge in overseas job opportunities in 2023, with countries in Asia and Europeset to recruit thousands of employees, many of whom will receive monthlysalaries in the tens of thousands of Vietnamese dong.

Longstanding labour markets, such as Japan and the Republic of Korea, willcontinue to attract Vietnamese workers, while young, skilled workers will alsohave the chance to work in countries such as Australia, Canada and Europe.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) aims tosend approximately 110,000 workers abroad for labour contracts this year.

Japan is expected to receive the largest number of Vietnamese workers, withhalf of the country's overseas labourers already employed there.

During a visit to Japan last year, the Minister of Labor, Invalids and SocialAffairs Dao Ngoc Dung proposed adjustments to minimum salary levels andallowances for workers and trainees from Vietnam and other countries due to theweakening value of the Japanese yen.

The minister also suggested Japan consider accepting workers in variousindustries, such as hospitality and elderly care, and proposed tax exemptionsfor Vietnamese interns.

The policy of the Japanese government is reportedly to gradually expand theprofessions and fields available to foreign interns, especially those from Vietnam.

In addition to Japan, more European countries are interested in recruitingVietnamese workers.

Canada is facing a shortage of labourers, particularly in the construction andhealthcare industries. The Canadian Minister of Trade and Export Development,Jeremy Harrison, recently expressed interest in bringing Vietnamese workers toCanada.

The Canadian side has been working with the Canadian Embassy in Vietnam toissue visas to qualified workers as soon as possible.

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Ba Hoan said somebusinesses had received licenses to implement contract signing to send nearly100 Vietnamese workers to Canada.

He said: "Canada is assessed by businesses and employees to be a goodworking environment, offer high incomes, ensure stable life and care for socialsecurity."

Keijo Norvanto, Ambassador of Finland to Vietnam, said Finland's population isageing, leading to a labour shortage, especially in agriculture and healthcare.Therefore, Finland needs to recruit foreign workers, including those from Vietnam,to prevent labour shortage in the future.

Rantakokko, managing director of GreenFiVi Company, said from 2023 to 2027, thecompany plans to recruit 2,500 Vietnamese labourers to work in Finland innursing care, industry, and agro-forestry with salaries starting from 1,940euro (nearly 50 million VND) per month before extra-hour wages.

When labourers earn Finland's work certificate, their monthly salary willincrease to 2,240 to 3,000 EUR per month.

Meanwhile, in the second half of this year, Australia will receive 1,000Vietnamese agricultural workers with salaries starting from 3,200-4,000 AUD permonth.

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Ba Hoanhighlighted the positive quality and quantity of Vietnamese labourers sentoverseas.

The labour markets have been expanded, including traditional markets with goodincomes and working conditions like Japan, the RoK, Taiwan (China) and new marketslike Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Czech Republic and Romani.

Improving the quality of Vietnamese labourers

The MOLISA aims to send Vietnamese workers abroad to markets that offer highand stable incomes and explore new potential labour markets to increase thenumber of Vietnamese workers in European countries in new sectors.

Nguyen Gia Liem, deputy head of the MOLISA's Department of Overseas Labour, saidalong with expanding overseas labour markets, improving the quality of overseasVietnamese workers is also the department's focus in 2023. This helps enhanceincomes and create the impression of Vietnamese workers in foreign markets.

He said the most significant challenges to Vietnamese workers are foreignlanguages and discipline, which directly affect labour quality.

He said that labourers who are good at local languages would have better jobswith higher incomes and avoid risks when negotiating with managers.

He said that job opportunities are open for those who are good at foreignlanguages after they return home.

"I have met workers who don't know anything about machine operation butare good at a foreign language, so after only a few months working in Japan,they can operate the equipment fluently. After the five-year labour contract,they will be transferred to a high-level work visa and allowed to take wivesand children to Japan," Liem said.

In 2023, the Department of Overseas Labour will promote the connection betweenservice enterprises, vocational schools, and institutions to create laboursources to work abroad. In addition, foreign language and skill training andraising discipline will be enhanced to meet the requirements of foreignemployers.

"We will focus on raising employees' sense of organisation and disciplineas well as preventing workers from being abused at work," he said.

The department promotes disseminating policies, laws and information onoverseas labour. He said that this activity will raise awareness of employeesand society, helping prevent and limit fraud and law violations./.