The Government of Vietnam plans to export at least 45,000 workers to foreign countries in the year 2001, compared to 36,000 workers in 2000 and 31,000 workers in 1999. The total number of Vietnamese currently working abroad is 295,000.
The United Arab Emirates is perceived by the Vietnamese government as a lucrative potential market to export its laborers to. Another potential Middle Eastern market that the Vietnamese government would like to send Vietnamese workers to is Libya.
In the Gulf, Vietnamese workers will have to compete against foreign laborers from other countries, and against a rapidly growing national workforce that is being created through the government’s intensive efforts at encouraging local citizens to take up positions across the full spectrum of the economy. (www.albawaba.com)
