"Viet Nam – Finland Labour Cooperation Forum" in Hanoi
On the afternoon of 13 January, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland and the Embassy of Finland in Viet Nam, in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), organised the "Viet Nam – Finland Labour Cooperation Forum". The forum was held immediately after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between MOLISA and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland on cooperation in the mobility of Vietnamese experts, skilled workers and seasonal workers to work in Finland.
According to Deputy Minister Lê Văn Thanh, sending workers abroad helps create jobs and improve the lives of workers and their families (Photo: Tống Giáp).
Speaking at the forum, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Lê Văn Thanh said that Viet Nam aims to become a developing country with modern industry and upper-middle income by 2030, and a developed, high-income country by 2045. To realise these goals, Viet Nam is focusing on three strategic breakthroughs: improving institutions, enhancing the quality of human resources and developing infrastructure in a comprehensive manner. In line with this, besides promoting vocational education and domestic job creation, the Deputy Minister said that Viet Nam's policy is to increase the number of workers sent to work abroad. In recent years, this activity has achieved significant results, with the number of workers going abroad increasing year on year. At the same time, the quality and reputation of Vietnamese workers on the international market have continued to improve. In recent years, Viet Nam has sent nearly 160,000 workers abroad each year. Some 700,000 Vietnamese workers are currently working in 40 countries and territories, in more than 30 occupational groups. In particular, Europe is regarded as one of the potential markets, with a high demand for foreign workers, including Vietnamese workers. According to the MOLISA leadership, sending workers abroad under contract helps create jobs and improve the lives of workers and their families. It also plays an important role in training a Vietnamese workforce with knowledge of science and technology and an industrial work ethic, thereby promoting the country's socio-economic development.
"Today's forum is of great significance, enabling both sides to enhance their understanding of the laws and policies relating to sending and receiving foreign workers.
It is also an opportunity to discuss Finland's demand for receiving and employing Vietnamese workers, contributing to bilateral cooperation in this field," Deputy Minister Lê Văn Thanh said.
Minister of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland Arto Olavi Satonen (Photo: Tống Giáp).
At the forum, Finland's Minister of Economic Affairs and Employment, Arto Olavi Satonen, described the signing of the MOU with Viet Nam's MOLISA on the mobility of Vietnamese experts, skilled workers and seasonal workers to Finland as very valuable cooperation. According to Minister Satonen, this is one of the important solutions to help Finland address labour shortages caused by population ageing. "Thank you, Viet Nam, for cooperating with Finland in this important field. We need to continue working together to implement initiatives to bring Vietnamese workers to Finland," Minister Satonen said.
According to Minister Satonen, a growing number of Finnish companies are recruiting foreign workers. At the same time, the Finnish Government provides public services to help foreign workers work effectively in Finland. "Viet Nam is one of Finland's most important markets in the labour field. We find that Vietnamese workers have good vocational skills and adapt quickly to technology. We also see that Asian countries, including Viet Nam, are dynamic markets that can provide Finland with a quality workforce," Mr Satonen said.
At the forum, representatives of the Department of Overseas Labour (MOLISA) and of the Trade Section of the Embassy of Finland presented the policies on supplying and receiving human resources between the two sides.
Several Vietnamese sending enterprises shared their experience of how well Vietnamese workers perform in Finland, citing their diligence, hard work, agility and ability to learn trades.
At the same time, representatives of the enterprises also pointed out shortcomings in foreign language proficiency and certain other skills that Vietnamese workers need to strengthen and improve in order to meet requirements when working in Finland.
On this occasion, several Finnish enterprises also shared their need to recruit foreign workers, particularly Vietnamese workers, in sectors such as technology and healthcare.
"Business Forum on Finland – Viet Nam Labour Mobility" in Ho Chi Minh City
Representing the Viet Nam Association for Vocational Education, Training and Social Work, Mr Tô Xuân Giao, Head of the Association's Representative Office in Ho Chi Minh City, speaks at the "Business Forum on Finland – Viet Nam Labour Mobility" in Ho Chi Minh City.
On 14 January, the "Business Forum on Finland – Viet Nam Labour Mobility", organised by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland and the Embassy of Finland, took place in Ho Chi Minh City. This special event was held on the occasion of the visit of Mr Arto Satonen, Finland's Minister of Employment, who led a delegation comprising Finnish companies, recruitment agencies, healthcare service representatives, educational institutions and regional government agencies.
The forum aimed to build partnerships with Vietnamese companies and organisations involved in human resources in key sectors such as healthcare, hospitality, industrial manufacturing and information and communication technology (ICT).
The programme in Ho Chi Minh City focused on business networking, enabling Vietnamese partners to meet Finnish companies and leaders in person. Given its strategic importance and high-level participation, the event was by invitation only. Those who had not received a direct invitation but wished to attend were invited to contact the Viet Nam project manager.