To bring policy and practice together to ensure the rights of migrants

Deputy Director of the Consular Department Phan Thi Minh Giang emphasized that the Vietnam Migration Profile 2023 clearly outlines an overview of Vietnam's international migration, as well as the results achieved in building and perfecting policies and laws related to migration.

Phó Cục trưởng Cục Lãnh sự: Hồ sơ Di cư Việt Nam 2023

Deputy Director of the Consular Department Phan Thi Minh Giang speaks at the workshop to announce the Vietnam Migration Profile 2023 on October 29, in Hanoi. (Photo: Thu Trang)

Sharing with The Gioi and Viet Nam Newspaper on the sidelines of the Workshop to announce the Vietnam Migration Profile 2023 in Hanoi on October 29, Deputy Director of the Consular Department Phan Thi Minh Giang pointed out the notable points of this publication, as well as the outstanding results in promoting safe migration in Vietnam in recent times.

Could you please tell us the significance of the Vietnam Migration Profile 2023 and the highlights of this publication?

The Migration Profile aims to assess the current state of migration, the linkages between migration and development, and improve the use of migration information in policy making. It is a policy tool that not only helps assess the migration situation and migration-related policies over a given period, but also enhances policy coherence and promotes evidence-based policy development as migration is a multidimensional, multi-sectoral issue that requires an interdisciplinary approach.

Vietnam Migration Profile 2023 is the third edition after two Migration Profiles published in 2011 and 2016. The information and assessments in Vietnam Migration Profile 2023 will help us review the migration situation in Vietnam as well as the results achieved in building and perfecting policies and laws related to migration in the period 2017-2023 and identifying challenging issues.

The recommendations made in the Vietnam Migration Profile 2023, in my opinion, are extremely necessary and meaningful for managers and policy makers to continue researching and implementing in order to further strengthen inter-sectoral coordination in migration management, protection and support for migrants, effectively address migration challenges and make practical contributions to the implementation of sustainable development goals.

Compared to the previous two editions, the Vietnam Migration Profile 2023 has some notable highlights as follows:

Firstly, for the first time, it adds analysis of foreign migration flows into Vietnam and policies and laws related to foreign migration.

Second, thanks to a more comprehensive data and information system on international migration, this publication has outlined a clearer overview of Vietnam's international migration with many areas of statistically disaggregated data that the previous two Migration Profiles could not fully cover.

Third, the Vietnam Migration Profile 2023 has analyzed and assessed more fully the policies and practices to ensure women's rights during migration and provided information and results of Vietnam's implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) according to Decision No. 402/QD-TTg dated March 20, 2020 of the Prime Minister.

The workshop to announce the Vietnam Migration Profile 2023 was organized by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in coordination with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Hanoi on October 29. (Photo: Thu Trang)

International migration continues to occur at an increasingly large scale and speed. What challenges does it pose to Vietnam's migration management, Madam?

In the period 2017-2023, except for the period affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, the migration of Vietnamese citizens abroad as well as foreigners migrating to Vietnam tends to increase. Regarding the migration of Vietnamese citizens abroad, labor migration is the main type, with an average of more than 100,000 workers sent to work abroad under contracts each year.

Migration to study abroad also continues to increase. According to incomplete statistics received and compiled by the Consular Department, each year more than 10,000 citizens go abroad to study on their own, and it is estimated that there are currently more than 250,000 Vietnamese students studying abroad. In addition, there are other types of migration such as marriage with foreign elements, adoption with foreign elements, family reunification, business investment, etc.

Regarding the migration of foreigners to Vietnam, in general, the types of migration are also relatively diverse, labor migration is still the main type, with 475,198 foreigners granted work permits from 2017-2022.

International migration has created momentum for socio-economic development in Vietnam by contributing to building high-quality human resources, developing a healthy labor market, promoting innovation, and supplementing foreign exchange reserves...

Besides the positive aspects of migration, we also face some challenges in migration management. These include human trafficking across borders, illegal migration; migration through unofficial and unsafe channels; workers and international students fleeing and staying illegally abroad; Vietnamese workers in some areas having their rights and interests violated; brain drain; foreigners illegally entering, residing or using Vietnam as a transit point to go to third countries, and illegal activities...

These issues are not new, but they are becoming increasingly complex due to the intertwined impact of many factors. This reality requires us to closely monitor and accurately identify the causes of each problem, based on evidence, or in other words, based on specific data, to identify and adjust response measures as well as have appropriate policy responses to improve the quality of international migration management, and promptly protect the legitimate rights and interests of migrants.

Could you share about the process of coordinating ministries, sectors and international cooperation to build the Vietnam Migration Profile 2023?

In the GCM Agreement Implementation Plan issued with Decision No. 402/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is tasked with periodically developing the Migration Profile.

Regarding the Vietnam Migration Profile 2023, this publication is one of the outcomes of the Project “Supporting evidence-based policies and programs in the context of cross-border migration in Vietnam” implemented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Vietnam.

To implement the Project, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established an Inter-agency Working Group to implement the Project, led by the Consular Department, with the participation of 23 units from 18 relevant ministries and agencies. The process of compiling the Vietnam Migration Profile 2023, chaired by the Consular Department, has received active participation, cooperation and many comments from relevant agencies, members of the Inter-agency Working Group to implement the Project and scientists.

Hồ sơ Di cư Việt Nam 2023: Từ chính sách đến thực tiễn bảo đảm quyền của người di cư

Training workshop on data management and analysis on August 22 in Vinh Phuc province.

What outstanding results has Vietnam achieved in promoting safe migration in recent times?

Vietnam's consistent policy is to promote legal and safe migration, prevent and combat migration through unofficial channels, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of migrants, including Vietnamese citizens migrating abroad and foreigners migrating to Vietnam. Regarding the promotion of safe migration, I believe that in recent times, some outstanding results have been achieved as follows:

Firstly , the dissemination of legal and safe migration channels has continued to be widely and strongly implemented in many different forms to accurately and fully convey information to potential migrant groups and areas where unsafe migration problems often occur.

Recommendations and warnings about the travel situation, risks of migration through unofficial channels, and new tricks of human trafficking and illegal migration crimes have also been disseminated promptly, especially in the context of human trafficking for the purpose of coercing to commit crimes, which is becoming more and more complicated in the region.

Second , institutions and policies related to migration continue to be improved, facilitating legal and safe migration.

In the field of labor migration alone, the Law on Vietnamese Workers Working Abroad under Contracts 2020, together with its guiding documents, has many specific provisions to enhance the responsibility of service enterprises, strengthen state management, help reduce migration costs and ensure safe migration for workers. In addition, the content of safe migration consultation has also been mentioned in the draft Law on Prevention and Combat of Human Trafficking (amended) which will be submitted to the National Assembly for approval in the near future.

Third , in promoting legal and safe migration, inter-sectoral coordination is increasingly close and synchronous in implementing, formulating policies and solutions as well as in handling issues related to migration and migrants in order to promptly protect their legitimate rights and interests.

Fourth , international cooperation in migration-related areas continues to be strengthened to expand legal and safe migration channels.

In recent years, Vietnam has promoted the signing of labor cooperation documents at the Government, ministerial, and local levels, including many agreements with more flexibility on working terms and migrant subjects, specifying the processes and responsibilities of each signatory in supporting Vietnamese migrant workers.

In parallel with expanding legal migration channels, Vietnam has also cooperated closely with other countries in preventing and combating migration through unofficial channels, preventing and combating illegal migration, and preventing and combating human trafficking, focusing on illegal migration routes frequently used by human trafficking rings.

Fifth , Vietnam has been actively implementing the GCM Agreement (adopted on December 19, 2018 at the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly) from the central to local levels. It can be said that this is a very important effort in implementing Vietnam's international commitments, contributing to the common efforts of the region and the world.

Vietnam is one of the few countries that has issued a Plan to implement the GCM Agreement very early. Some of Vietnam's initiatives in implementing the GCM Agreement have also been highly appreciated internationally, such as the establishment of the One-Stop Service Office model of the Vietnam Women's Union to provide free consultation and support to returning migrant women on legal, psychological, employment, and educational issues.

Thank you!