Tiếng Việt
At 3:30 PM on September 6, 2024, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), a press conference was jointly held by MOLISA and the Australian Embassy in Vietnam to announce the implementation of support for Vietnamese citizens working in the agricultural sector in Australia under the Australia-Vietnam Labor Mobility Program.
According to the announcement, the Australian government will allow up to 1,000 Vietnamese workers to work in the agricultural sector in Australia at any given time. Vietnamese workers participating in the program can take on short-term jobs (6 to 9 months) or long-term jobs (1 to 4 years). These positions require low to semi-skilled labor in agriculture, such as farming, meat processing, seafood (including aquaculture), and forestry.
Earlier, in March this year, the Prime Ministers of both countries jointly announced the program’s Implementation Plan (refer to: A new era for Australia Vietnam relations | Prime Minister of Australia (pm.gov.au)), which outlined the requirements and conditions for Vietnamese workers participating in the program, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the relevant agencies and organizations to ensure worker welfare.
The selection of Vietnamese service enterprises sending workers abroad under contract, and Australian employers participating in the program, will take place in September. MOLISA and the Australian government will collaborate to select the Vietnamese service enterprises involved.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of MOLISA Nguyen Ba Hoan emphasized: “Labor cooperation is an important component of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Australia, marking a significant milestone in economic, cultural cooperation, and people-to-people exchange between the two countries.”
“The implementation of the agreement aims to meet the aspirations of Vietnamese workers to work in Australia, improving their language skills and accumulating knowledge, science, and technology in the agricultural sector with high income… Upon completion of their contracts and returning to Vietnam, workers will be able to apply this knowledge effectively, increasing labor productivity. At the same time, the Vietnamese workforce will help fill labor shortages for Australian employers.”
In the program’s first year, one public service unit and up to six (06) Vietnamese service enterprises licensed to send workers abroad will be selected. Public units and service enterprises not selected will not be allowed to participate in the recruitment process for the program. Recruitment fees will be paid by the Australian employer to the public service units and Vietnamese service enterprises.
The Australian Deputy Ambassador to Vietnam stated: “This cooperation program is significant for both Vietnam and Australia. It offers Vietnamese workers opportunities to enhance their knowledge, experience, and skills while taking on jobs in rural and local areas in Australia. This program also highlights economic cooperation and the growing people-to-people links between Australia and Vietnam, reflecting our newly enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”
“Both Australia and Vietnam are committed to ensuring the safety of workers participating in the PALM program and minimizing risks related to fraud, unethical recruitment practices, and labor exploitation. We look forward to working with experienced service enterprises in Vietnam that have fair, ethical, and transparent recruitment policies and practices.”
Vietnamese service enterprises wishing to participate in the program can submit applications to the Department of Overseas Labor Management (DOLAB).
Selected public service units and Vietnamese service enterprises will recruit Vietnamese workers based on labor supply contracts approved by MOLISA (DOLAB) and recruitment plans from Australian employers that have been approved by Australian authorities.
Vietnamese workers who meet the criteria and conditions, are recruited by Australian employers, and are granted visas, will be supported to work in Australia under the Pacific Australia Labor Mobility (PALM) program.
Source: http://dolab.gov.vn