Labour Migration and Social Protection

Dr. Dao Quang Vinh, General Director of ILSSA, and Mr. Moritz Michel, Deputy Country Director of HSF in Vietnam, giving their opening remarks

HSF

In a morning and afternoon session the participants, composed of representatives from the Ministry of Labour, civil society, research institutes, think tanks and other governmental authorities, learned about the challenges and requirements of international labour migration. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Huong, Former Director of ILSSA, who reported an introductory overview of labour migration of Vietnam in the context of ASEAN Economic Community integration, said that “this workshop comes at the right time for the development of Vietnam”.

In order to give the numerous participants a better impression of labour migration and social protection in the international context, German expert Dr. Matthias Meißner from Ruhr University of Bochum, was invited to introduce the free movement of labour within the European Union and challenges related to social protection on the national level.

Delegates listen thoughtfully during a presentation

HSF

In another presentation Ms. Nguyen Phuong Vinh, National Social Insurance Law Project Coordinator of International Labour Organization (ILO), suggested “to develop some national recommendations for extension of social protection to migrant workers.”

Summarizing the workshop Mr. Moritz Michel, Deputy Country Director of Hanns Seidel Foundation in Vietnam, was very pleased about the outcomes of the workshop and the active discussion and participation of all the audiences. “The heated discussion showed how important the topic is for Vietnam”, he said. “A country that welcomes as well as provides so many migrant workers needs to lay down a solid strategy on how to deal with labour migration.”