~ Le Viêt Nam, aujourd'hui. ~
The Vietnam News

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[Year 2002]

Over 46,000 leave Vietnam to work abroad in 2002

HANOI - More than 46,000 Vietnamese left the country in 2002 to seek work abroad, prompted by unemployment and the possibility of higher wages, according to official figures released on Friday.

Malaysia, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea attracted the majority of the 46,112 individuals, according to a Ministry of Labour official. Of those, more than 20,000 went to Malaysia, and 13,000 went to South Korea, the official added. The lure of foreign work is increasing with many ending up in the region's industrial, electronic, textile, construction and even shipping industries.

A Malaysian delegation visited Vietnam in December and talks are in progress for the signing of an accord allowing for a larger number of Vietnamese to Malaysia. "We haven't yet signed anything but we hope to be able to do it soon," an official at the Malaysian embassy in Hanoi said. Those who go to Japan, relatively few in number, are generally students and skilled workers.

Approximately 80-90 percent of the migrants are agricultural labourers or without jobs. Unemployment is officially put at six percent where a worker's average monthly wage is 20 dollars. The authorities who actively encourage workers to move to neighboring countries and hope 50,000 will seek work abroad in 2003.

Other than Malaysia, the Middle East -- in particular Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates -- are becoming a favoured destination. In all the country "exports" its labour to 40 countries. Around 160 agencies, mostly state-run are authorized to deal with the migrants. Eight were closed down, according to the local press. "The good side of it is that Vietnamese learn about abroad. They change and their view of work changes. The bad side is that they don't know before they leave what the work conditions will be like," said one foreign businessman.

The Tehran Times - January 04, 2003.