Vietnam Draft Law Eases Overseas Labor Services, Boosts Digitalization

The draft amendments to the Law on Vietnamese Guest Workers under Contract are poised to strengthen the legal framework and promote decentralization, science and technology application, digital transformation, and a shift from pre-approval to post-approval inspection approaches, while addressing shortcomings in the current law. The National Job Exchange – vieclam.gov.vn – is designed as a nationwide digital recruitment platform that connects job seekers, employers, employment service centres, training institutions, and state management agencies through a single system. Under the current one-party political system, legislative changes are key to implementing government policies. This revision of the overseas labor law supports the government's objectives of economic growth and increased citizen income, with remittances from overseas workers being a vital foreign currency source for Vietnam. Furthermore, the proposed law revision is expected to ease the implementation of labor agreements between Vietnam and other nations. For example, agreements with Thailand and Albania ensure equal treatment in labor relations, wages, working conditions, and welfare benefits in accordance with local laws, and this amendment will bolster the domestic legal foundation for such pacts. While Vietnam has seen substantial economic growth recently, challenges remain in refining the domestic labor market and safeguarding the rights of its citizens working abroad. This legislative update represents a crucial step in tackling these issues and boosting Vietnam's global labor market competitiveness. Information source: VietnamPlus English