Vietnam attracts high-skilled ASEAN labour

With its formation, there will be free flow of labour in 8 employment sectors throughout the region. To Vietnam, the open labour market will provide an opportunity for the country to attract better qualified employees from other countries in ASEAN. 

Merric Noel from the Philippines is currently working as an engineer at a Vietnamese software company. Highly-skilled employees like Noel have helped the company enter the international market.  

When the ASEAN labour market opens, skilled workers can freely move in the region, creating chances for Vietnam to attract those employees. People with skills in telecommunications, information technology and banking from Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines could prove attractive to employers and require lower salaries than those from Europe and the US.

With the new policy, Vietnamese workers also have the opportunity to work in ASEAN member countries.  However, according to experts, besides professional skills, they need to have good language skills and an understanding of international workplaces.