Vietnam's Ministry of Home Affairs is seeking comments on a draft decision amending Decision No. 34/2025/QĐ-TTg, issued by the prime minister on September 15, 2025, on the Overseas Employment Support Fund.
Under the draft, the fund received 641 applications for support from 2020 through June 30. It provided support in 617 cases, disbursing nearly VND18.8 billion in total, and rejected 24 applications because they did not meet legal requirements.
The Ministry of Home Affairs said the implementation of Decision No. 34/2025/QĐ-TTg had strengthened the confidence of Vietnamese workers going abroad under employment contracts.
A contribution of just VND100,000 per worker and contract allows workers to receive financial and legal support when they face risks.
When health problems or other circumstances beyond a worker's control force an early return, or when a legal dispute arises with an employer, the fund provides practical support to protect the worker's lawful rights and interests.
If a worker dies or goes missing while working abroad, relatives receive timely assistance. This helps reduce the financial burden and provides support after the loss.
Workers can also receive help with retraining after completing their contracts and returning home.
For companies that send Vietnamese workers abroad under contract, the implementation of Decision No. 34/2025/QĐ-TTg has helped reduce operating costs, lower legal risks and improve competitiveness.
Previously, when force majeure events such as natural disasters, epidemics or the bankruptcy of a foreign employer occurred, as well as in serious cases involving abuse, accidents or a worker's death, companies often had to advance or cover large costs themselves.
Decision No. 34/2025/QĐ-TTg reduced this burden through direct financial support from the fund. The support covers travel expenses for handling incidents and part of a worker's funeral costs.
When a worker has to return early for objective reasons, a company usually faces complaints, compensation claims or contract disputes.
Since Decision No. 34/2025/QĐ-TTg was implemented, the fund has paid support directly to workers. This has indirectly eased pressure on service companies and helped prevent conflicts of interest and lengthy legal disputes between workers and service companies.
Decision No. 34/2025/QĐ-TTg also allows service companies to count their contribution to the fund, VND150,000 per worker and contract, as an operating expense for sending workers abroad.
This legally reduces corporate income tax obligations because a mandatory contribution becomes an officially deductible operating expense.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, implementation of the decision has also improved the reputation and competitiveness of companies that send Vietnamese workers abroad.
Companies that fully meet their contribution obligations and use the fund's support mechanisms gain workers' trust. This helps them attract workers for overseas employment.
Trade unions and foreign employers also tend to rate domestic service companies more highly when they have mechanisms to protect workers' lawful rights and interests.
Full compliance with the fund's contribution requirements therefore helps service companies strengthen their reputation and competitiveness when negotiating labor supply contracts with foreign partners.
Sources: Dân Trí
