Thousands of workers affected by Formosa incident work abroad

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs announced that nearly 18,000 people in four central provinces that were affected by the Formosa pollution disaster have gone to work abroad.

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs announced on June 20 that nearly 18,000 people in four central provinces that were affected by the Formosa pollution disaster have gone to work abroad.

  

Thousands of workers sent to South Korea

The workers from Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue have been sent to Taiwan, South Korea and Japan to work in the fishing industry, health care services, nursing homes and house helpers. Workers will be able to work in the fishing industry in South Korea and join the Employment Permit System there.

The ministry is working with Vietnam Bank of Social Policies to increase funding for preferential loans from the National Employment Fund.

Employment centres in four provinces are asked to hold more job exchange sessions at affected districts and communes. They are also asked to keep a close connection with employment centres in neighbouring provinces to help the affected residents find jobs or attend training courses to switch jobs.

The ministry encouraged firms to help export workers from the affected provinces as about 263,000 are being affected, of which 100,000 people are directly affected, with many of them are fishermen.

Last year, Formosa discharged wastewater into the sea which caused mass fish deaths in four provinces in central region and badly affected the local tourism and lives of the fishermen. Formosa committed to compensation payments of USD500m and that it would resolve the environmental impacts. In early April, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment announced that the plant had met the requirements for test runs of its first blast furnace.