Vietnamese nurses working in Japan. — Photo vietnamplus.vn

HÀ NỘI — The prospects of working abroad are broadening with a number of Eastern European nations expressing interest in hiring Vietnamese staff.

Phạm Viết Hương, Deputy Director of the Overseas Labour Management Department at the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, said that alongside established markets like Japan, Taiwan (China) and South Korea, there is growing demand for Vietnamese labour in new markets such as Romania, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Serbia.

Vietnamese workers are currently employed abroad in diverse sectors such as mechanical engineering, textiles, footwear, electronics assembly, construction, agriculture, fisheries, elderly care, healthcare and household assistance.

They enjoy favourable working and living conditions, including welfare benefits.

Income levels for these workers are relatively stable and range from US$1,200 to $1,600 per month in markets like Japan and South Korea, $800 to $1,200 per month in Taiwan (China) and European countries, $700 to $1,000 per month for skilled workers and $500 to $600 per month for unskilled workers in the Middle East and Africa.

Hương noted that Japan has consistently been the top destination for Vietnamese workers in recent years across multiple sectors.

In June 2024, Việt Nam and Japan signed an agreement to increase the number of technical intern trainees, with plans for 40 trainees this year and 500 over the next five years.

This agreement also broadens recruitment categories and conditions, particularly aiming to boost employment in large hospitals.

Vietnamese workers in Japan typically comprise up to 50 per cent of the total annual overseas workforce.

By 2023, Việt Nam had surpassed China to become Japan's largest group of foreign workers, numbering over 518,360 individuals - a significant 63.6 per cent increase over five years.

In South Korea, this year's Employment Permit System (EPS) has seen a surge in Vietnamese applicants, hitting a record of nearly 45,000, three times the intake quota and the highest in its 20-year history.

The Korean language proficiency test was held in four provinces and cities of Hà Nội, Thanh Hóa, Đà Nẵng and HCM City from March to June 2024.

Currently, over 600,000 Vietnamese workers are employed in 50 countries and territories, contributing around $4 billion annually.

Hương said that the Department of Overseas Labour Management plans to explore new markets and expand into Europe in the near future due to favourable working conditions and income opportunities.

Several countries in this region currently have a demand for Vietnamese workers, particularly in agriculture.

According to a report from the Overseas Labour Management Department, in the first six months of 2024, a total of 78,640 Vietnamese workers were employed abroad, reaching 62.91 per cent of the year's target.

Japan led the way by accepting 40,596 Vietnamese workers, followed by Taiwan (China) with 27,837 workers, South Korea with 5,582, China with 1,080 and various other markets.

In June 2024 alone, more than 12,780 Vietnamese workers were employed abroad. — VNS