The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) held a conference in Hanoi, on May 10, to implement a vocational training, job generation and labour export plan in the 2007-2010 period.

Presided over by Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Nguyen Thi Hang, the conference attracted representatives from relevant ministries, departments and organisations.

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Le Bach Hong said that in the 2001-2006 period Vietnam generated 9.1 million jobs, including 500,000 labourers working abroad. The quality of workers has been improving and the number of labourers with qualifications increased from 13.4 percent in 2001 to 20 percent in 2006. Salaries and wages, which are different across sectors, are accounted according to market rules. The average salary in State-owned enterprises is VND2.1 million per month (double the average level in 2000). The average salary in private enterprises is VND1.6 million (2.2 times higher than in 2000).

In the 2007-2010 period, the Ministry aims to ensure jobs for 49.5 million labourers, reduce the urban unemployment rate to below 5 percent and develop the labour market in a synchronous manner by balancing labour supply-demand and raising workers’ income to help them improve their living standards.

The Ministry will also create 6-6.4 million jobs for domestic workers, send 320,000 workers abroad under time-limit labour contracts, modernise 30-40 employment centres, and perfect database and market information systems.

Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Hang said that the ministry has worked out seven key solutions for developing the labour market and encouraging employers to generate steady jobs for workers and increasing the quality of vocational training in order to get more highly-skilled workers.

In addition, Mrs Hang underscored the need to perfect labour market institutions with a view to creating an appropriate legal corridor and ensuring equal treatment of employers and labourers in economic sectors.