The labour ministries of Vietnam and Laos discussed measures to better manage and support Vietnamese guest labourers in the neighbouring country at a conference held on August 18 in the central province of Nghe An, Nhan Dan newspaper reported.

The daily quoted unofficial statistics as putting the number of Vietnamese guest workers in Laos at an estimated 13,500, who are employed at cooperation investment projects between the two countries’ agencies or localities, and Vietnamese contractors. Most of them are skilled workers.

With the strong growth of Vietnamese investment in Laos, the number of guest workers in the country is expected to increase to at least 20,000 next year.

Deputy Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thanh Hoa said Vietnam will continue to assist Laos in training skilled labourers, thus improving the quality of its human resources.-VNA