Vietnamese Workers' Overseas Employment Costs Remain High, Equivalent to 4.5 Months' Income

The average cost for Vietnamese workers to go abroad for employment in 2025 is nearly 126 million VND, equivalent to 4.5 months of income, with more than half needing to borrow money to cover expenses, according to a report released on September 8 by the General Statistics Office and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The report, titled 'In-depth analysis of costs paid by Vietnamese workers to work abroad,' shows a significant decrease from the 165 million VND recorded in 2021. During the same period, the average first-month income for Vietnamese workers abroad increased from 22.4 million VND to over 28 million VND. Costs are categorized into four groups: completing dossiers and meeting exit conditions; payments to recruitment organizations or brokers; travel and other expenses. Payments to recruitment organizations or brokers account for the largest portion, nearly 53 million VND. Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, the three main destinations for Vietnamese workers, have the highest associated costs. In 2025, workers heading to Japan incurred an average cost of nearly 141 million VND, South Korea over 139 million VND, and Taiwan 130 million VND, while other markets cost around 86 million VND. Notably, the survey indicates that lower educational attainment correlates with higher overseas employment costs, with some groups reaching up to 155.6 million VND. Similarly, workers with average skills paid about 143 million VND, low-skilled workers 109 million VND, while high-skilled workers spent nearly 68 million VND. Approximately 53% of surveyed workers had to borrow money to cover these fees, with an average loan amount of 122 million VND. This highlights the financial strain, as many overseas workers come from rural backgrounds. To alleviate the financial burden on workers, Vietnam has amended the Law on Vietnamese Workers Working Abroad Under Contract, tightening the total amount of fees beyond service charges and increasing sanctions for violating enterprises. In the future, the Department of Overseas Labor Management aims to promote shared costs for recruitment, airfare, and training with foreign partners and employers through bilateral negotiations, moving towards a model where workers do not bear recruitment costs. Furthermore, employment services for repatriated workers will be integrated into the job matching system, particularly connecting them with FDI enterprises from their previous working markets.