Many Vietnamese citizens working in Libya have been safely repatriated, however many are worried about what the future holds for them.
On August 10, an additional 184 Vietnamese workers landed at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, bringing the total number returned from Libya to 453. However, many are unsure of what their next steps should be after such a jarring move.
urvivors of turmoil worry for future
Nguyen Van Phuong, a 26-year-old now again living in Hanoi, said, “I worked in Libya for eight months. This is the second time I've worked in that country. I had to return due to the turmoil in the region.”
Phuong said that his family had to pay VND50 million (USD2,354) for the entire trip. He has recouped this investment, but does not have much else to show for it on his return and is unsure about what to do next.
Nguyen Van Phuong
Tran Van Truc, who also recently returned from Libya shared some of the same concerns. “I don’t know what to do now. I’ve only worked in Libya for two months, but the money it cost for my trip was more than I made working there.”
Some have been forced into even worse positions. Tran Son Tinh, a worker from Ha Tinh Province, said his family used their land use certificate as collateral for a loan to finance his trip. “I’m pretty much the bread-winner for my family. Now that I made this move to Libya and only stayed for six months, the money it cost has left me and my family in debt."
Uncertain road ahead
Still, those who have been repatriated are among the lucky. There are still Vietnamese citizens living and working in Libya amid an extremely tense political situation.
To date, the human resource service provider Vietnam Manpower Supply and Commercial Joint Stock Company (Vinamex), has yet to take any sustainable measures to support the workers they have placed in Libya.
Nguyen Viet Hai, director of Vinamex, said the company is actively working with employers to supply food for Vietnamese workers still left in Libya.
“We have a plan to provide our workers who just worked in Libya for two to three months with support to find a new job. This is the short-term. For the long-term, we are hoping for guidance from the government," Hai said.
The company has offered compensation of VND1 million (USD47) toward a return ticket.