Labor exporters exploit workers, send them to Taiwan for low paying jobs
It will be very difficult for Vietnam to send workers to Taiwan (China) next year after many Vietnamese illegally broke their contracts to find jobs that paid better, officials said at a Hanoi conference recently.
Around 1,100 Vietnamese workers in Taiwan (China) quit their job in the middle of their contracts every month this year, almost twice last year's monthly average, according to data released at the conference. More than 110 labor exporters attended the event.
Officials from the labor ministry said many workers have complained that the exporters charged them too much, US$7,000 a person, much more than the official fee of US$4,000 set by the government.
Many workers had to borrow money for the payment, but the jobs they were given did not allow them to pay off that loan easily. Caregivers at hospitals, for example, earn around US$500 a month.
The workers said labor companies forced them to tell the authorities, if questioned, that they paid the right fee. Most workers then lied to have a job.
Doan Mau Diep, deputy labor minister, said at the conference that the ministry will suspend or shut down labor companies that fail to reduce the number of workers breaking contracts.
Recruiters that overcharge workers will face tough fines, Diep said.
There are around 164,000 Vietnamese working in Taiwan, nearly 30% of the country’s overseas workforce.