Vietnamese workers solve the "thirst" for human resources in developed countries

(Dan Tri) - The Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs and Employment said that the country is currently facing a shortage of human resources and Vietnam is the priority country chosen for cooperation in the field of labor.

Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs and Employment Arto Olavi Satonen stated this information during a meeting on January 13 with Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung.

Finland opens its doors to Vietnamese workers

Welcoming his counterpart from the Nordic country to visit Vietnam, Minister Dao Ngoc Dung expressed his appreciation for the achievements of cooperation between Vietnam and Finland in recent times.

The Minister emphasized that the relationship between the two countries is gradually shifting from development partnership to mutually beneficial cooperation, with the foundation of an increasingly strong friendship. This is demonstrated through high-level visits by leaders of both sides, especially in 2023, when Vietnam and Finland celebrate the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations (1973-2023).

Talks between Minister Dao Ngoc Dung and Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs and Employment Arto Olavi Satonen, morning of January 13 (Photo: Tong Giap).

Recent high-level delegation exchanges have made important contributions to promoting and deepening the bilateral partnership. Notable examples include the official visit to Vietnam by Speaker of the Finnish Parliament Jussi Halla-aho in March 2024 and the meeting between General Secretary To Lam and Finnish President Alexander Stubb on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on September 24, 2024.

Regarding information about Vietnamese human resources working abroad, Minister Dao Ngoc Dung said that in recent years, Vietnam has sent nearly 160,000 workers to work abroad each year.

There are about 700,000 Vietnamese workers working in 40 countries and territories, taking on more than 30 different occupational groups.

Thanking the warm welcome from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and Minister Dao Ngoc Dung personally, Minister Arto Olavi Satonen emphasized that Vietnam is currently one of Finland's most important partners in Southeast Asia. Mr. Arto Olavi Satonen is pleased to have more opportunities for cooperation, especially in the field of labor.

Minister Arto Olavi Satonen (center) hopes to promote cooperation with the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs in the coming time (Photo: Tong Giap).

Minister Satonen said that there are about 50,000 Vietnamese workers living and working in Finland, actively contributing to strengthening the relationship between the two countries.

Minister Satonen said that the Scandinavian country is facing the challenge of a rapidly aging population. Every year, about 10,000-15,000 workers in Finland leave the labor market, so Finland's labor demand is constantly increasing. Vietnam is currently among the four countries that Finland prioritizes cooperation in the labor field.

Upon receiving the information, Minister Dao Ngoc Dung immediately asked his counterpart to clearly state the number of workers, the occupations that Finland needs, along with specific selection criteria. He emphasized the need to determine the criteria for selecting workers to discuss and coordinate the implementation of the next steps in labor cooperation activities.

In response, Minister Arto Olavi Satonen said that Finland is expected to need about 1.3 million workers over the next 15 years. First of all, in 2025, this Nordic country needs about 2,000 workers in the infrastructure, service and food sectors, requiring workers with English proficiency.

The healthcare sector needs around 3,000 workers, with stricter selection criteria requiring workers to be able to communicate in Finnish.

The industry is expected to need 1,000 workers, a number that will increase in the coming years as the Finnish economy continues to grow strongly. The information technology (IT) industry also needs about 1,000 workers.

Vietnamese workers are the priority choice of developed countries.

Appreciating Minister Arto Olavi Satonen's initiative to address the issue of population aging, Minister Dao Ngoc Dung emphasized that this cooperation brings benefits to both countries.

"Vietnam helps Finland solve the problem of labor shortage, while Vietnamese workers will have stable income and the opportunity to work in a modern environment. More importantly, we want workers to have a better life," Minister Dao Ngoc Dung expressed.

Minister Dao Ngoc Dung affirmed that Vietnamese workers are completely capable of meeting the criteria and requirements set by Finland (Photo: Tong Giap).

He added that Vietnam is in the "golden population" period with a total population of 104 million, including 54 million workers. The Minister also said that Vietnam is shifting to training high-quality human resources with the goal of training 50,000 workers in the semiconductor chip sector.

Assessing the Finnish labor market, Minister Dao Ngoc Dung affirmed that Vietnamese workers can fully meet the criteria and requirements set by Finland.

"In famously strict markets like Germany, Vietnamese workers have been meeting recruitment standards well," the Minister cited.

Vietnam has recently supplied more than 1,000 nurses to Germany. All candidates passed a rigorous selection process, were granted green cards and had the opportunity to settle permanently in this country.

"Vietnamese workers are highly appreciated internationally for their diligence, hard work and creativity. These qualities have helped us become the priority choice of many developed countries.

When many European countries, including Finland, are facing the problem of population aging, this is Vietnam's advantage," Minister Dao Ngoc Dung affirmed.

Accordingly, if Finland really wants to cooperate, the Minister ensures to provide enough human resources to meet the requirements.

"In the professions that Finland needs, Vietnamese workers can basically meet the requirements of communicating in English.

The income and social welfare of Vietnamese workers in Finland are quite good, ranging from 1,500 to 2,000 euros per month. This is one of the prerequisites for Vietnam to accept sending workers," the Minister stated.

Immediately after the talks, the two Ministers signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Vietnam and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland.

This Agreement establishes a partnership on labor migration between the two countries, within the scope of their jurisdiction and in accordance with existing laws, procedures, and resources. Both parties commit to respecting international rules and standards, and ensuring sustainable and mutually beneficial cooperation.

The two Ministers signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation on labor migration (Photo: Tong Giap).

The Memorandum of Understanding is effective for five years, from 2025 to 2030. The goal is to promote the sending of experts, skilled workers, and seasonal workers from Vietnam to work in Finland in a transparent, sustainable, ethical, and anti-exploitation and abuse-free manner, in accordance with the laws of both countries.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/lao-dong-viec-lam/lao-dong-viet-giai-con-khat-nhan-luc-cua-cac-nuoc-phat-trien-20250113132944384.htm