It is necessary to protect the rights of Vietnamese workers working abroad to the maximum extent possible.

On the afternoon of October 23, continuing the program of the 10th Session of the 14th National Assembly, under the direction of Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Uong Chu Luu, the National Assembly held an online plenary session to discuss the draft Law on Vietnamese Workers Working Abroad under Contract (amended).

At Nghe An bridge, there were Deputy Heads of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation: Nguyen Thanh Hien and Tran Van Mao co-chairing. Photo: Thanh Le

Proposing a plan to send workers to work abroad

Presenting the report on the draft Law, Chairwoman of the National Assembly's Committee on Social Affairs Nguyen Thuy Anh said that in fact, in recent times, the Employment Service Centers established by the Provincial People's Committee Chairmen under the provisions of the Employment Law are being permitted by the Prime Minister to pilot the implementation of international agreements signed by the Provincial People's Committee Chairmen with foreign provinces and cities to send local workers to work, and do not collect service fees from workers.

"Therefore, the Government and the Drafting Agency propose to legalize this practice," said the Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Social Affairs.

Regarding this proposal, according to delegate Thuy Anh, there are two different opinions: The first type of opinion agrees with assigning the Employment Service Center to send workers to work abroad to implement international agreements as proposed by the Government. The second type of opinion disagrees with assigning the Service Center.

This is a new issue, with different opinions, so the draft Law has been sent to the National Assembly Delegations for comments according to 2 options.

Option 1: Regulations in the direction of only assigning the public service unit as the Employment Service Center (stipulated in Point a, Clause 1, Article 37 of the Law on Employment) established by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and only allowed to send workers to work abroad to implement international agreements.

Option 2: Do not assign public service units under provincial People's Committees and service units under specialized agencies under provincial People's Committees to send workers to work abroad to implement international agreements.

Nguyen Thuy Anh - Chairwoman of the National Assembly's Committee on Social Affairs

Maximum protection of workers' rights

The discussion at the meeting had 22 opinions of National Assembly delegates discussing and 2 opinions debating. The delegates expressed high consensus on the necessity of promulgating the Law on Vietnamese Workers Working Abroad under Contract (amended). At the same time, they proposed a number of additional issues and contents to complete the content of the draft Law.

Delegate Dinh Thi Kieu Trinh participated in the discussion at the meeting. Photo: Thanh Le

Participating in the discussion, delegate Dinh Thi Kieu Trinh (Nghe An Delegation) expressed her agreement with option 1 of the draft Law stipulating the subjects of application in Article 2 and Article 5, which is to assign the Employment Service Center established by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee to send workers to work abroad to implement international treaties and international agreements.

At the same time, delegate Kieu Trinh suggested that the draft Law should clearly stipulate the conditions for not collecting money from employees in Article 43 and not creating a new apparatus and payroll in Article 74.

This regulation will create a legal basis for the Employment Service Center to organize and implement smoothly and open up many job opportunities for local workers. However, from practice, it is necessary to specify the roadmap and implementation time to ensure that the Employment Service Centers have time to prepare human resources as well as material facilities to meet this new task.

Delegate Dinh Thi Kieu Trinh also agreed with the provisions in the draft Law on the Overseas Employment Support Fund, which is a non-budgetary state financial fund under the State budget.Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairsto support the development, stabilization and expansion of the market; to prevent, minimize and overcome risks to workers and businesses. The source of the fund is from contributions from service businesses, workers and other legal sources of income.

“In my opinion, it is necessary to regulate service enterprises to have training and development contracts for workers with training organizations. Such regulations also reduce costs for enterprises when they do not have to meet the conditions on human resources and facilities to carry out education. These enterprises can then focus on finding labor markets and protecting Vietnamese workers abroad... which is more reasonable.

Migration Information Office advises people going to work abroad. Photo: Thanh Le

At the same time, encourage businesses with passion to build a human resource training strategy, because well-trained human resources, after a period of working abroad and returning to work in the country, will be key people, managers, experts, good technicians... for domestic businesses" - delegate Trinh expressed his opinion.

Also according to delegate Trinh, in Clause 2, Article 27 of the draft Law, the regulation on the responsibility of service enterprises to "guide employees to participate in social insurance according to the provisions of the law on social insurance" is very necessary in the current period and it is necessary to stipulate more responsibilities for inspection and supervision of state management agencies so that employees working abroad under contracts can participate in social insurance according to regulations, overcoming the shortcomings as in the recent period.

"To protect the rights of workers to the maximum extent, this law should assign the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to set up a hotline to protect Vietnamese workers working abroad so that individuals and their families can conveniently contact and report information when necessary," delegate Dinh Thi Kieu Trinh proposed.

View of Nghe An bridge. Photo: Thanh Le

Concluding the discussion, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Uong Chu Luu acknowledged the lively and frank discussion atmosphere, and that the National Assembly deputies agreed with the Submission, the Verification Report and many contents of the Draft Law on Vietnamese Workers Working Abroad under Contract (amended).

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Uong Chu Luu requested the Committee on Social Affairs, the drafting agency, and relevant agencies to study, absorb, fully explain, and complete the draft laws to be submitted to the National Assembly for voting and approval at this session as set out in the session's agenda./.