HÀ NỘI — The number of foreigners working in Việt Nam has increased significantly over the last ten years, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) reported.

The number increased from more than 12,600 in 2004 to more than 83,500 in 2015, the ministry has said.

Chinese workers make up 30.9 per cent of Việt Nam’s foreign workforce, with 25,700 people, the ministry reported at a workshop held in Hà Nội on Monday.

South Koreans number over 15,300, Taiwanese more than 10,700 and Japanese over 7,900.

HCM City is home to the largest number of foreign workers, with more than 20,300 people, accounting for 24.3 per cent, followed by Bình Dương Province with more than 12,000 people (14.4 per cent), Hà Tĩnh 7,000 people (8.4 per cent), Hà Nội 6,386 people (7.6 per cent) and Đồng Nai 6,205 people (7.4 per cent).

The increasing number of foreign workers in Việt Nam requires the improvement of the legal system to ensure the rights of migrant workers, especially social security.

Social insurance authorities in Việt Nam are developing a compulsory social insurance scheme for foreign workers in the country, citing the need to follow international practices as the country deepens integration.

The 2014 Law on Social Insurance requires compulsory enrollment of foreign workers in the social insurance scheme, starting in 2018, to ensure their equality and welfare.

Trần Hải Nam from the MoLISA’s Department of Social Insurance said employees who are foreign citizens with work permits or practice certificates granted by a competent Vietnamese agency shall be entitled to compulsory social insurance in compliance with State laws.

The MoLISA’s draft decree proposed requiring foreign workers to take part in all five social insurance programmes – pension and insurance for sickness, maternity, vocational injuries, disease, and death. — VNS