Weaknesses in State management and the implementation of legal documents remain shortcomings affecting the exportation of labour.

Speaking at a conference on labour export in Hanoi on Aug. 7, Dang Nhu Loi, Deputy Head of the National Assembly’s Committee for Social Affairs said these weakness are evidenced by the lack of oversight to determine the competence of agencies asking for labour export licences.

Another shortcoming is lacklustre management of the licensed enterprises’ operations and poor verification of labour supply contracts.

According to the statistics of the Overseas Labour Management Department under the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), only 30 percent among 164 licensed labour exporters work effectively. Many exporters seek contracts through intermediaries and are negligent in protecting the legitimate rights and interests of guest workers.

Meanwhile, workers, who urgently need jobs but lack an understanding of legal regulations, are easily exploited by the intermediaries.

Sharing the same view, Deputy Director of the Consulate Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Bui Quoc Thanh said improving quality of recruitment and placement is a key element for Vietnamese workers to enter potential markets.

Together with promoting the protection of guest workers, the State should encourage them to get involved in production and business after returning home, Thanh said.

On their part, enterprises also recommended the State tighten management measures towards labour export activities.

According to Nguyen Xuan Vui, General Director of Air Service and Trading Joint Stock Company, one of the leading labour exporters, licences should be granted to at most 50 enterprises. Labour exporters who are unable to send workers abroad after one year of operation should have their licences revoked, he said, adding that each enterprise should be allowed to set up only one branch instead of the current three.

He also suggested MoFA and MoLISA have market forecast to give orientation to exporters. The MoLISA, in particularly, should establish a guest worker management board in new markets for better supervision of enterprises and labourers.

The conference, held by the NA’s Committee for Social Affairs, is aimed to review the implementation of the Law on Sending Guest Workers Abroad under Contract over the past two years.

According to MoLISA, there are about 500,000 Vietnamese workers working in over 40 countries and territories. Every year, they send home nearly 2 billion USD./.