Vietnamese workers supported to work in Australian agriculture sector

The event was jointly-organized by Vietnamese Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and the Australian Embassy in Viet Nam.

The Australian government will enable up to 1,000 Vietnamese workers at a time to undertake work in the Australian agriculture sector. Under this arrangement, Vietnamese workers can be employed under short-term (6 to 9 months) or long-term (1 to 4 years) roles in low and semi-skilled roles across primary industries sectors such as horticulture, meat processing, fisheries (including aquaculture) and forestry.

The program's implementation arrangements, announced by the two Prime Ministers in March this year, set out the eligibility requirements for Vietnamese workers as well as key roles and responsibilities of relevant stakeholders to ensure worker welfare.

The selection of the participating Vietnamese recruitment service enterprises and Australian employers will be undertaken in September. Vietnamese recruitment service enterprises will be selected jointly by MOLISA and the Australian Government.

Speaking at the event, MOLISA Vice Minister Nguyen Ba Hoan said, labour mobility cooperation is a key element in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Australia and Viet Nam, and a key milestone on economic engagement and people-to-people links between the two countries.

The implementation of the Arrangement aims to address Vietnamese citizens' expectation of working in Australia to improve their English skill, accumulate their knowledge and technical skills in agriculture sector with high income. Then these knowledge and skills can be applied to achieve higher productivity and efficiency when returning to the home country. It is also to help fulfill labor gaps of the Australian employers, he noted.

In the program's first year, one non-business state organization and up to six licensed Vietnamese recruitment service enterprises will be part of the program. Vietnamese non-business state organizations and service enterprises who are not selected cannot participate and recruit workers for the program. Recruitment fees will be covered by Australian employers and paid to the non-business state organization and Vietnamese recruitment service enterprises.

Deputy Australian Ambassador to Viet Nam, Renee Deschamps, added, this cooperation is important for both Viet Nam and Australia. It will provide opportunities for Vietnamese workers to gain knowledge, work experience and skills while filling critical labor roles in rural and regional Australia.

"It highlights the strengthened economic engagement and people-to-people links between Australia and Viet Nam and reflects our newly elevated Comprehensive Strategic Partnership", she highlighted.

Both Australia and Viet Nam are committed to worker safety and will work hard to minimize the risk of fraud, unethical recruitment practices, and worker exploitation under the program, she told.

"We look forward to working with experienced recruitment service enterprises in Viet Nam with strong ethical, fair and inclusive recruitment practices and policies", shared Renee Deschamps./.