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The Star
31-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Vietnam launches new job app to support its migrant workers
HANOI: A new mobile application was officially launched on Wednesday (July 30) morning in Hanoi, offering Vietnamese citizens seeking employment abroad direct access to verified job listings without the need to go through informal brokers. The DOLAB-JICA app (DJ App) was jointly introduced by the Department of Overseas Labour Management (DOLAB) under the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). It is part of the 'Project to Support Labour Market Information Connectivity for Vietnamese Workers Seeking Employment Abroad under Contract,' which has been jointly implemented by the department and JICA since August 2023. Vu Truong Giang, deputy director of the department, said the app is designed to eliminate the need for intermediaries, significantly reducing the financial burden on workers. It provides direct access to reliable, clearly defined job vacancies that have been verified by the department. "This represents a major digital transformation in how we recruit and deploy Vietnamese workers for overseas employment," Giang stated. The app will be upgraded with two key features in the near future. First, while working in Japan, users will be able to provide feedback via the app regarding service providers, supervising agencies, and employers. The reports will be sent directly to relevant Vietnamese authorities, such as the department and the Vietnamese Labour Management Board in Japan. Second, after returning home, the app will continue to support repatriated workers by offering access to domestic job opportunities, enabling them to apply their overseas experience and skills in suitable positions in Việt Nam. 'Beyond its benefits for workers, the DOLAB-JICA app also offers significant advantages for service enterprises,' Giang said. It helps them reach a wider pool of motivated candidates who meet the requirements of foreign contracts, thus reducing recruitment costs and enhancing business stability. In addition, it enables Vietnamese businesses to connect directly with returning workers, a valuable, highly skilled labour force trained overseas. With these far-reaching objectives, both DOLAB and JICA hope the app will become widely accessible to prospective migrant workers and service enterprises alike, contributing to a more efficient, transparent and sustainable labour export system, he said. Chief Representative of the JICA Vietnam Office Kobayashi Yosuke commended the project team's efforts, but noted that the app launch is only the beginning. 'Launching the app is just the first step. How widely it is used by dispatching organisations in Vietnam and those who want to work in Japan will be the next challenge. The real race begins here.' Through this app, the agency hopes to encourage more companies to join the effort in protecting workers' rights, he added. Also at the event, Country Director of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Vietnam Ingrid Christensen said she welcomes the initiative. 'From the ILO's perspective, we see this as a very good step towards improving labour migration governance, supporting all involved and promoting the fair and ethical recruitment through the provision of information.' 'The app is easy to access, for me,' she added. She said she trusts that the app truly makes information readily available to workers, including verified job opportunities, clear requirements and even transparency on costs. This could ultimately help lower recruitment expenses, which remain a critical issue. It also helps Japanese employers connect with a broader range of candidates whose skills align with available positions. Nguyen Ngoc Quynh, a representative of the Vietnam Association of Manpower Supply, said the app provides public access to information, transparent costs and equitable recruitment, in line with the Vietnamese Government's policies. Deputy Ambassador of Japan to Vietnam Ishikawa Isamu praised the collaborative efforts between the department and JICA. He said that the Vietnamese community in Japan has currently surpassed 630,000 people. Young Vietnamese people working in Japan not only contribute to the Japanese economy, but also serve as an important bridge to promote mutual understanding between the two peoples. "Therefore, we cannot accept it if young Vietnamese workers are unfairly exploited when they go to Japan to work," he said. The project announced today is an important step forward to address a major challenge that both Japan and Vietnam are facing: eliminating illegal brokers in the process of sending Vietnamese workers to Japan.— Vietnam News/ANN
The Star
13-06-2025
- The Star
Former Viet Deputy Labour Minister faces bribery charges
From left: Former Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Ba Hoan; Director Tong Hai Nam; former Deputy Director Nguyen Gia Liem; and Deputy Director Phạm Viet Huong. — VNA/VNS HANOI: Vietnamese authorities have initiated a criminal investigation against Nguyen Ba Hoan, former Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (now Ministry of Home Affairs), along with three other officials, over allegations of bribery. Preliminary findings suggest that Hoan allegedly directed the Department of Overseas Labour Management to impose licensing requirements that were not legally mandated for companies involved in labour export contracts. These additional conditions reportedly created obstacles for businesses, effectively compelling them to offer bribes to ministry and department officials to secure approval for their operations. Investigators revealed that companies concealed these illicit payments by inflating service fees charged to workers, often exceeding legal limits, thereby misappropriating funds from them. On June 3 and June 10, authorities issued supplementary decisions to prosecute the case, along with arrest warrants, search orders, and preventive measures. The three other officials from the Department of Overseas Labour Management now facing prosecution are director Tong Hai Nam, former Deputy Director Nguyen Gia Liem, and Deputy Director Phạm Viet Huong. The authorities have called on businesses and individuals involved to come forward to be considered for leniency under the law. — Vietnam News/ANN
