Currently, the number of Vietnamese workers exported to work abroad in June 2024 was more than 12,000 people. In the first 6 months of 2024, the total number of Vietnamese workers working abroad was more than 78,000 workers. According to the Department of Overseas Labor Management, Ministry of Labor – Invalids and Social Affairs, this number reached nearly 63% of the plan for the whole year of 2024.

The largest number is Japan with more than 40,000 people, Taiwan with more than 27,000 workers, Korea with about 5,500 people… Currently, Korea wants to increase the quota for receiving Vietnamese workers under the Employment Permit System (EPS), workers in the shipbuilding, agriculture, and fishing vessel industries.

This phenomenon is quite paradoxical with the fact that high-tech and engineering companies in Vietnam are in need of skilled workers. While the Vietnamese government does not have training programs and training credits to encourage workers to stay and work in Vietnam, the lack of these incentives is also related to the lack of protection of workers’ rights, specifically in terms of wages and workplace safety and hygiene. And especially, there is no independent trade union other than the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor to truly represent workers.