The Thai government on November 10 has approved the Ministry of Labor’s (MOL)’s proposal for recruiting workers from ASEAN member countries, including Viet Nam, with a view to solving the labour shortage in the country.

Accordingly, Thailand will allow Vietnamese workers entering the country under travel visa prior to February 10, 2015 to register and complete procedures to work legally in Thailand within one year.

Visa fees applied for Vietnamese workers will decrease from 2,000 THB (57 USD) to 500 THB, equal to those applied for workers from Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia.

The MOL’s proposal reckoned that occupations that Vietnamese workers can do in Thailand are fishing, serving as domestic helpers and waiters in restaurants, and others manual jobs.

The ministry stressed that only those who meet requirements of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on labour cooperation between Thailand and Viet Nam can work in the country.

Like other migrant workers in the region, Vietnamese labourers have to undergo medical check-ups and buy health insurance issued by the Thai Ministry of Health in order to obtain work permit in Thailand.

On July 27, the MOL and Viet Nam’s Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs inked the MoU on labour cooperation and an agreement on labour assignment and recruitment between the two countries.

(Source: VNA)