Over 135,000 foreigners from 110 countries working in Vietnam

The event was organized in preparation for the 18th ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labor, which will take place in September in Malaysia. 

Delegates at the forum will focus on topics such as decent employment, and safe, orderly, regular, and responsible migration.

A representative from the Ministry of Home Affairs noted that Vietnam has become an attractive destination for many foreign investors, leading to a significant increase in foreign labor.

Over the past few years, legal documents such as the Labor Code and the Law on Occupational Safety and Health have ensured the rights of foreign workers in Vietnam.

These workers are eligible for social insurance, health insurance, and occupational accident and disease insurance under bilateral and multilateral agreements.

Over 95 percent of foreign workers receive occupational safety and health training before starting their jobs, helping to keep workplace accidents at a low level.

The official recommended strengthening safety training in English, Korean, and Japanese to improve accessibility for foreign workers, as well as increasing inspections, particularly in foreign-invested enterprises, and building a comprehensive occupational safety database.

At the conference, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Cao Huy stated that as of 2024, Vietnam’s labor force had reached 53 million people aged 15 and above, including nearly 24.7 million women.

More than 500,000 Vietnamese are working under contracts in 43 countries and territories. 

Major destinations include Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, with emerging markets such as Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Canada, and Finland also showing potential.

However, Vietnamese workers still face significant competitive pressure due to limitations in foreign language skills, vocational training, and workplace discipline.

To protect the rights of migrant workers, Deputy Minister Cao Huy emphasized that Vietnam is refining policies to develop its human resources, improving training quality, and enhancing regional and international cooperation.

Felix Weidenkaff, an employment and labor market policy expert from the International Labor Organization in Vietnam, praised the country's progressive policies for protecting migrant workers.

He affirmed that the recommendations and proposed solutions from the conference held by the Vietnamese Ministry of Home Affairs will serve as a foundation for future national and regional initiatives.