HANOI – On April 14, The International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission in Viet Nam and the Department of Overseas Labour (DoLAB) of Viet Nam's Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) co-hosted a consultation workshop on Partnerships and Cooperation on Safe Labour Migration for the Period of 2024-2028. The workshop brought together leadership from IOM, DOLAB, other departments under MOLISA including the Department of Employment (DOE) and Directorate of Vocational Education and Training (DVET), as well as the Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (DOLISA) of nine provinces known for high number of migrant workers.  

The high-level consultation workshop provided an opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of current cooperation activities between IOM and DoLAB while discussing priorities for further collaborations in the field of labour migration for the period 2024-2028.

Mr. Dang Si Dung, Deputy Director of DoLAB, opened the workshop by expressing his appreciation for IOM, including provision of effective technical and financial support for development of labour migration regulations, capacity building of governmental officials, improvement of public awareness on safe labour migration and protection of migrant workers.

“DoLAB has been working with IOM for many years in promoting safe and regular labour migration in Viet Nam,” Mr. Dang Si Dung, Deputy Director of DoLAB said. “We especially appreciate IOM’s support in providing inputs for the development and dissemination of Law on Contract-based Vietnamese Overseas Workers and the publications of two health handbooks for Vietnamese migrant workers living in Japan and the Republic of Korea. We look forward to further collaborate with IOM to raise awareness among migrant workers and help them make informed migration decisions via safe and regular migration pathways.”

Park Mihyung, Chief of Mission of IOM Viet Nam, highlighted IOM’s experiences in working with the Viet Nam government and other stakeholders such as UN agencies, non-profit organizations, civil society organizations to facilitate safe and orderly migration for the sustainable development goals in Viet Nam. She also emphasized IOM’s commitment in collaborating closely with the Viet Nam government to promote skills development for migrant workers that not only focuses on better employment opportunities but also improve their migration experience.

“IOM has partnered with the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs on labour migration, counter-trafficking, migrant health and skills development projects, focusing on capacity building, evidence-based policy-making, and legislative improvements. For labour migration, we also work to address vulnerabilities of women migrant workers, ensure gender equality and empowerment of voices of women migrant workers in all stages of the labour migration journey,” said Park Mihyung, Chief of Mission at IOM Viet Nam.

“IOM recognizes that the government of Viet Nam has been making important commitments in protecting the rights and well-being of Vietnamese migrant workers and creating an enabling environment for safe labour migration that is beneficial for people, communities and Vietnam’s socio-economic development. We are proud to work with government partners such as DoLAB to protect the rights and well-being of migrant workers and maximize the benefits of labour migration for all involved,” she added.

Participants at the workshop also discussed priorities for future partnerships and collaborations in the field of labour migration in Viet Nam that would focus on capacity building, continued legislative improvements, strengthened dialogues with countries of destination, enhanced career orientation, pre-departure information and counselling and re-integration support upon return for migrant workers. Participants also agreed on common objectives for future collaborations which aimed to promote safe and regular migration of empowered and upskilled migrant workers.

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For more information about the project, please contact Nguyen Thu Huong at thuongnguyen@iom.int

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