Decision No. 71/2009/QĐ-TTg Approving the Scheme to Support Poor Districts in Promoting Labor Export for Sustainable Poverty Reduction from 2009 to 2020

Pursuant to …;

Approves the Project to Support Poor Districts in Promoting Labor Export

contributing to sustainable poverty reduction during the period of 2009-2020

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PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Pursuant to the Law on Vietnamese Workers Going Abroad Under Contract dated November 29, 2006;

Pursuant to Resolution No. 30a/2008/NQ-CP dated December 27, 2008 of the Government on the Program to rapidly and sustainably reduce poverty in 61 poor districts;

Considering the proposal of the Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs,

DECISION:

Article 1. Approves the Project to Support Poor Districts in Promoting Labor Export contributing to sustainable poverty reduction during the period of 2009-2020 with the main contents as follows:

I. OBJECTIVES AND TARGETS

1. Objectives

Improve the quality of labor and increase the number of workers from poor districts participating in labor export, contributing to job creation, income increase, and sustainable poverty reduction.

2. Targets

- Period 2009-2010: Implement a pilot program to send 10,000 workers from poor districts to work abroad (on average sending about 5,000 workers each year), including approximately 80% workers from poor households and ethnic minority households; approximately 70% workers having vocational training; contributing to reducing 8,000 poor households (reducing 2.8% of poor households in 61 poor districts).

- Period 2011-2015: Send 50,000 workers from poor districts to work abroad (on average sending about 10,000 workers each year), including approximately 90% workers from poor households and ethnic minority households; approximately 80% workers having vocational training; contributing to reducing 45,000 poor households (reducing 15.6% of poor households in 61 poor districts).

- Period 2016-2020: Increase by 15% the total number of people working abroad compared to the period 2011-2015, including approximately 95% workers from poor households and ethnic minority households, contributing to reducing about 19% of poor households in 61 poor districts.

II. OBJECTS OF THE PROJECT

Are workers residing long-term in 61 poor districts; organizations and enterprises operating under the Law on Vietnamese Workers Going Abroad Under Contracts; vocational training institutions for exporting workers.

III. MAJOR POLICIES AND ACTIVITIES OF THE PROJECT

1. Policies for workers

a) Supporting workers to improve their cultural level to participate in labor export.

- Object: Workers from poor households and ethnic minority households with a cultural level of primary school or higher who have been selected to participate in labor export but whose cultural level does not meet the requirements and need additional cultural education.

- Duration of study: maximum of 12 months.

- Main policy content:

+ Supporting all tuition fees, learning materials, textbooks, and notebooks;

+ Supporting food and living expenses during the study period, travel expenses, and initial supplies such as the regime applied to students in boarding schools for ethnic minorities.

- Leading agency: People's Committee of provinces with poor districts according to Resolution No. 30a/2008/NQ-CP dated December 27, 2008.

- Coordinating agencies: Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Central Committee of Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union.

- Implementation mechanism: The People's Committee of the province approves the plan to create labor sources according to the objects of the project, ensuring sufficient cultural levels required for labor export; decides the quantity and list of workers supported to learn culture to ensure sufficient numbers participating in labor export according to the proposal of the People's Committees of poor districts; assigns tasks to the Chairman of the People's Committee of poor districts to organize cultural education for workers in accordance with regulations.

- Funding source: central budget.

- Financial mechanism: the central budget supplements targeted funds for localities to manage, use, and settle accounts for funding in accordance with current regulations.

b) Supporting workers to learn trades, foreign languages, and necessary knowledge as prescribed by the Law on Vietnamese Workers Going Abroad Under Contracts; supporting health examination costs; passport, visa, and criminal record costs to participate in labor export.

- Object: Workers selected to learn trades, foreign languages, and necessary knowledge as prescribed by the Law on Vietnamese Workers Going Abroad Under Contracts to participate in labor export according to the project.

- Duration of study: based on the trade training and requirements of the labor export market, the Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs considers and specifies the duration of study, but not exceeding 12 months. After completing courses, workers will be issued certificates recognizing their skill levels and necessary knowledge training certificates as prescribed.

- Main policy content:

+ Supporting 100% of vocational training, foreign language, and necessary knowledge training fees for workers from poor households and ethnic minorities;

+ Supporting 50% of vocational training, foreign language, and necessary knowledge training fees for other objects in 61 poor districts;

+ In addition, workers from poor households and ethnic minorities are supported with:

. Food and living expenses during the study period at a rate of 40,000 VND/person/day;

. Accommodation expenses at a rate of 200,000 VND/person/month;

. Expenses for essential personal items for workers (uniforms, bedding, shoes, etc.) at a rate of 400,000 VND/person;

. Travel expenses (both going and returning) once from place of residence to training location; support amount according to the fare of regular passenger transport means at the time of settlement;

. Pre-departure processing costs before working abroad according to specified rates for passport fees, visa fees, health examination fees, and criminal record fees.

- Leading agency: Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.

- Coordinating agencies: Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Planning and Investment, People's Committees of provinces with poor districts according to Resolution No. 30a/2008/NQ-CP dated December 27, 2008, Central Committee of Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union.

- Implementation mechanism: the leading agency selects enterprises and public institutions with sufficient capacity and experience to participate in the project; implements the order-based training mechanism.

- Funding source: central budget and other legitimate financial sources.

- Financial mechanism: the central budget allocates within the annual state budget of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs; manages, uses, and settles accounts for funding in accordance with current regulations.

c) Risk support

- Object: workers from the target group  when participating in labor export encounter risks.

- Content:

+ Supported risk according to Clause 3, Clause 3, Article 3 of Decision No. 144/2007/QĐ-TTg dated August 31, 2007 of the Prime Minister on the establishment, management, and use of the Overseas Employment Support Fund;

+ In cases where workers have less than twelve months of actual working time and must return to their home country, they shall be supported with a one-way air ticket if they encounter any of the following reasons: (i) due to health conditions unsuitable for job requirements, (ii) due to difficulties faced by employers in production and business operations leading to unemployment, (iii) due to unilateral termination of employment contracts by employers;

- Leading agency: Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs;

- Coordinating agencies: Ministry of Finance;

- Source of funds: Overseas Employment Support Fund;

- Implementation mechanism: according to the mechanism of the Overseas Employment Support Fund;

2. Preferential credit policy;

a) Preferential credit for workers;

- Target: workers from poor districts who have been selected and wish to borrow capital for overseas labor export;

- Loan amount: based on demand, up to the total costs that workers must contribute according to each market;

- Interest rate:

+ Workers from poor households and ethnic minorities can borrow at an interest rate equal to fifty percent of the current lending rate applied by the Vietnam Social Policy Bank for preferential borrowers going abroad;

+ Other targets from poor districts can borrow at the current lending rate applied by the Vietnam Social Policy Bank for preferential borrowers going abroad;

- Leading agency: Vietnam Social Policy Bank;

- Capital source: state budget transferred to the Vietnam Social Policy Bank according to local labor export plans;

- Implementation mechanism: The Vietnam Social Policy Bank and the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs will stipulate the maximum loan amount per market and labor export enterprises participating in the project will confirm the amount workers must contribute when working abroad; the loan period will be equivalent to the duration of the employment contract; the Vietnam Social Policy Bank will base its decision on the enterprise's confirmation and the worker's loan application to determine the loan amount, term, and other conditions according to current regulations;

b) Preferential credit for vocational training institutions for exporting workers;

- Target: vocational training institutions and labor export enterprises participating in the project (selected by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs);

- Content: borrowing capital to invest in increasing classroom size, dormitories, vocational training equipment, and teaching aids for exporting workers;

- Loan amount, interest rate, conditions, and procedures follow the state's preferential lending mechanism according to current regulations;

- Implementing agency: Vietnam Development Bank;

- Capital source: Vietnam Development Bank;

- Implementation mechanism: according to the state's preferential investment development lending mechanism implemented through the Vietnam Development Bank;

3. Activities;

a) Communication activities and capacity building, awareness enhancement regarding overseas labor export;

- Objective: to enhance the capacity of local officials in overseas labor export activities; raise awareness and update information to local authorities and citizens about mechanisms, policies, and the effectiveness of overseas labor export;

- Content:

+ Training and enhancing the skills of local officials and grassroots propagandists on overseas labor export;

+ Conduct surveys on the demand for participation in overseas labor export and post-export employment needs;

+ Fully publicize policies, systems, selection conditions, working conditions, living conditions, and income of workers in various markets through central and local mass media; cooperate with the Central Committee of the Communist Youth of Vietnam to establish a special column "Youth Participation in Overseas Labor Export" in both Vietnamese and ethnic languages broadcast on central and local radio and television stations. Publicize outstanding workers and exemplary models in implementing the project; commend and honor outstanding individuals and groups in overseas labor export activities through mass media and the website of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs;

- Leading agency: Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.

- Coordinating agencies: Ministry of Information and Communications, Ministry of National Defense, Central Committee of the Communist Youth of Vietnam, People's Committees of provinces;

b) Counseling and job introduction activities after workers return to their home country;

- Objective: assist workers who have completed their contracts and returned home to find jobs or create their own jobs; guide workers and their families to effectively utilize income from overseas labor export;

- Content:

+ Establish a database of workers from poor districts working abroad to manage and assist them during the implementation of the project;

+ Organize counseling and job introduction services suitable to the workers' professions, experiences, and skills acquired while working abroad;

+ Organize counseling and guidance for workers and their families to effectively utilize income from overseas labor export to develop household and farm economies; organize entrepreneurship training courses;

- Leading agency: Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.

- Coordinating agencies: Central Committee of the Communist Youth of Vietnam, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, People's Committees of provinces with poor districts under Resolution No. 30a/2008/NQ-CP dated December 27, 2008;

c) Supervision and evaluation activities;

- Objective: ensure the correct implementation of the project's goals, targets, and beneficiaries;

- Content: supervise and evaluate the implementation of the project's policies and activities:

+ Participating agencies and units self-supervise, evaluate, and report regularly to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs;

+ Contract independent consulting agencies for supervision and evaluation;

- Leading agency: Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.

- Coordinating agencies: Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Central Committee of the Communist Youth of Vietnam, People's Committees of provinces with poor districts under Resolution No. 30a/2008/NQ-CP dated December 27, 2008;

d) Funding and financial mechanisms for implementing activities;

- Funding source: state budget;

- Financial mechanism:

+ Central activities: the central budget is allocated in the annual budget of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs; management, use, and settlement of funds in accordance with current regulations;

+ Local activities: the central budget provides targeted support to localities based on the annual provincial budget estimates; management, use, and settlement of funds in accordance with current regulations.

IV. FUNDS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT

The total funds for implementing the Project amount to 4,715 billion VND, of which the portion supporting workers is 1,542 billion VND, preferential credit capital is 3,173 billion VND.

V. TIMEFRAME FOR IMPLEMENTATION: from 2009 to 2020

- Period 2009-2010: pilot implementation of policies and activities under the Project; conduct mid-term review to draw lessons and improve policies, models, procedures, and mechanisms for supporting poor district workers in labor export.

- Period 2011-2015: adjust, supplement, and complete the policies and activities under the Project for full implementation; expand scale and increase the number of poor district workers participating in labor export.

- Period 2016-2020: enhance the quality of workers, increase the proportion of poor district workers working in high-income markets.

VI. IMPLEMENTATION

1. The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs shall be responsible for

- Serving as the steering body of the Project, the Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs decides to establish the Steering Committee for implementing the Project, guides the establishment and directs the operations of the Sub-Steering Committees at the county level;

- Taking the lead and coordinating the implementation of policies and activities under the Project; developing the annual implementation plan of the Project, including plans on tasks, objectives, financial requirements, and proposals for solutions to be submitted to the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance for consolidation and reporting to the Government for inclusion in the state budget plan and estimate; coordinating with relevant ministries and sectors to guide the implementation of policies and activities under the Project.

- Establishing criteria and organizing the selection of labor export enterprises and public institutions according to these criteria to participate in the Project; selecting suitable contracts and markets with good working conditions and stable income for workers to work in; reviewing, inspecting, and supervising the implementation of contracts under the Project; promptly resolving difficulties, obstacles, and risks for workers.

- Taking the lead and coordinating with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, and related agencies to inspect and supervise the implementation of the Project.

2. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning and Investment shall be responsible for

- Allocating funds for the implementation of the Project from 2009 in accordance with the State Budget Law.

- Coordinating with the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs to guide financial management and investment mechanisms for policies and activities under the Project; organizing the evaluation of service procurement contract prices; coordinating inspections and supervision of the Project's implementation.

3. The Ministry of Education and Training shall be responsible for

Studying and building supplementary cultural knowledge programs suitable for the characteristics of the poor and ethnic minorities. Directing local educational agencies to organize cultural supplementary courses for workers to participate in labor export.

4. Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government agencies shall be responsible for

Guiding related mechanisms and policies; developing plans and directing the implementation of Project contents within their functions and authorities.

5. The Vietnam Development Bank and the Social Policy Bank shall be responsible for

- Implementing preferential credit policies for vocational training establishments participating in the Project; implementing support policies and preferential credit policies for workers under the Project in accordance with current procedures and regulations.

- Cooperating with competent agencies to inspect and supervise the implementation of the Project at the local level.

6. People's Committees of provinces with poor districts as stipulated in Resolution No. 30a/2008/NQ-CP dated December 27, 2008 shall be responsible for

- Establishing and directing the operation of the Sub-Steering Committee for implementing the Project to promote labor export in poor districts at the county level.

- Developing plans and organizing implementation at the local level based on the Project approved by the Prime Minister and guidance documents from ministries and sectors; implementing regular reporting systems to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.

- Studying, promulgating, and implementing additional local support policies for workers.

7. It is requested that the Communist Youth Union Central Committee and political-social organizations direct grassroots levels to coordinate with relevant departments to implement the Project at the local level.

Article 2. This Decision shall take effect from the date of signing.

Article 3. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government agencies, and Chairpersons of People's Committees of provinces with poor districts as stipulated in Resolution No. 30a/2008/NQ-CP dated December 27, 2008 are responsible for enforcing this Decision./.