Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung answered questions regarding Vietnamese guest workers unilaterally breaking contracts and seeking other jobs during a question and answer session of the National Assembly Standing Committee in Hanoi on August 15.

Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung at the session
(Photo: VNA) 

Dung said the occurrences are mostly in the Republic of Korea. In 2016, the rate of Vietnamese guest workers breaking contracts to seek other jobs amounted to 55 percent, but the figure has dropped to 33 percent, which is acceptable to the partner countries, he said.

 About Vietnam’s brokerage fees for overseas jobs that are much higher than other ASEAN member states, the minister explained that enterprises in several countries only bear the responsibility for bringing workers abroad. Meanwhile in Vietnam, firms must take over the management and deal with issues related to guest workers in the host countries, he said.

 In 2017, there were 127 Vietnamese people going abroad for employment. The figure rose to nearly 143,000 last year, mostly to Australia, Germany, Romania and the Czech Republic. 

 At present, around 350 Vietnamese companies specialise in bringing Vietnamese abroad to work.