New regulations on financial support for overseas guest workers in force majeure circumstances

Overseas Vietnamese guest workers will get a subsidy worth VND 7-20 million (US$300-880) if they are forced to return home earlier than contracted schedule due to outbreak of natural disasters, diseases, war, economic recession.

The regulation is part of Decision 40/2021/QD-TTg on the Fund for overseas employment support, signed by Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai.

Under the Decision, migrant workers will also get the similar support when unilaterally terminating their labor contracts if they are abused or forced to perform duties which directly affect their lives and health or being sexually harassed while working abroad.

Migrant workers working under labor contracts will get a subsidy ranging from VND 10 million (over US$ 300) to VND 30 million (US$ 1,321) if they are required to return home earlier than schedule due to labor accidents, illnesses, or diseases which make them unable to work abroad.

Overseas guest workers who come back home earlier than schedule will also get a financial subsidy of VND 1 million monthly within six months for vocational training to re-enter the domestic labor market.

Relatives of guest workers will get a subsidy of VND 40 million (US$ 1,700) if their guest workers die or go missing in other countries. 

The Decision stipulates that manpower export enterprises shall be required to contribute VND 150,000 (US$ 6.6) per guest worker per contract to the Fund. The financial contribution is part of their operating expenses of sending workers to work abroad.

Meanwhile, each overseas guest worker shall contribute VND 100,000 (US$ 4.4) to the Fund.

Managed by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, the Fund targets to support and expand labor export market and minimize risks for guest workers and labor export enterprises./.

(Source:VGP)