Vietnam and Germany promote 'labor circulation'

According to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Germany, on December 9th, the Vietnamese Ministry of Interior, in coordination with the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Leipzig city government, solemnly organized the "Vietnam-Germany Labour Cooperation Forum". This is an important event in the series of activities commemorating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Vu Chien Thang delivered the opening remarks at the Forum. Photo: Thu Hang/VNA correspondent in Germany.

A high-level delegation from the Vietnamese Ministry of Home Affairs, led by Deputy Minister Vu Chien Thang, attended and co-chaired the Forum. Also attending the forum were the Vietnamese Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, Nguyen Dac Thanh; Ms. Leonie Gebers, State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS); Mr. Clemens Schülke, Deputy Mayor of Leipzig in charge of economy and labour; and hundreds of representatives from agencies, associations, businesses, and vocational education organizations from both countries.

Opportunities arising from the "Golden Population Structure" and Strategic Partnerships

In his opening remarks at the Forum, Deputy Minister Vu Chien Thang emphasized the context of the Vietnam-Germany Strategic Partnership developing in a comprehensive and profound manner. The Deputy Minister provided German partners with basic information on the current economic and social context in Vietnam, affirming the country's position as a peace-loving, hospitable nation with a rich history and culture. He stressed that Vietnam is entering a new phase of development based on four strategic pillars, prioritizing breakthroughs in digital transformation, institutional reform, and comprehensive international integration. In particular, 2025 marks a significant turning point in administrative reform as Vietnam resolutely streamlines its government apparatus, establishes a two-tiered local government system, and shifts the focus of management towards "serving the people and fostering development."

Regarding human resource potential, Deputy Minister Vu Chien Thang shared that Vietnam is currently in a period of "golden demographic structure" with a population of 101.8 million people (as of November 2025), of which 68% are of working age. Vietnam's young workforce is known for its diligence, intelligence, strong professional skills, and eagerness to learn, providing a solid foundation for Vietnam to effectively implement its "human resource diplomacy" strategy and international cooperation.

Sharing his views on the challenges Germany is facing with its aging population and shortage of skilled labor, Deputy Minister Vu Chien Thang noted that cooperation on human resources between the two countries is strategically complementary and brings practical benefits to both sides.

Focus on improving quality.

Discussion session at the Vietnam-Germany Labour Cooperation Forum. Photo: Thu Hang/VNA correspondent in Germany.

At the Forum, Deputy Minister Vu Chien Thang affirmed Vietnam's consistent stance on international labor cooperation: "not chasing quantity but focusing on quality." Vietnam is committed to sending to Germany highly skilled workers with good discipline, cultural understanding, and, most importantly, who meet the stringent language requirements.

Leaders of the Ministry of Interior have introduced the concept of "human resource circulation" instead of "brain drain." Accordingly, Vietnamese workers going to Germany to work not only contribute to the German economy but also accumulate skills and modern industrial work ethics, which they can later use to build their country and become a strong bridge of friendship between the two nations.

Untangling the "bottlenecks"

Speaking at the Forum, Mr. Vu Truong Giang, Acting Director of the Department of Overseas Labor Management (DOLAB) under the Ministry of Interior, reviewed the achievements with nearly 2,000 high-quality workers currently working in Germany through programs such as "Hand in Hand for International Talents" and the project with Vivantes.

Members of the Ministry of Interior's delegation attending the Forum. Photo: Thu Hang/VNA correspondent in Germany.

However, to fully exploit the potential for cooperation, representatives from the Department of Overseas Labor Management and delegates focused on discussing solutions to address key current "bottlenecks," related to licensing qualified vocational training consulting companies to ensure the German labor market is not disrupted by misinformation; German language training at B1-B2 levels; preparing workers for cultural differences when working in Germany; accelerating and simplifying the process of recognizing Vietnamese qualifications; methods of cost sharing between the competent German government agency - BMAS, state governments, receiving companies, and the workers themselves; and the issue of fair integration, ensuring that workers are not exploited and are treated fairly. In particular, the Forum emphasized the importance of establishing official and transparent connection channels to minimize intermediaries and aim for "fair recruitment."

Also at the Forum, State Secretary of BMAS Leonie Gebers and Deputy Mayor of Leipzig Clemens Schülke highly appreciated the quality of Vietnamese labor and pledged to cooperate closely with the Vietnamese side to take advantage of the opportunities from Germany's new Skilled Worker Immigration Law, creating the most favorable conditions for Vietnamese workers to come and work and integrate.

At the conclusion of the Forum, partners from both countries agreed to strengthen connections between training institutions and businesses in both countries to realize the agreements, making labor cooperation an important pillar in the Vietnam-Germany Strategic Partnership.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/viet-nam-duc-thuc-day-vong-tuan-hoan-nhan-luc-20251210094908962.htm