Ministry of Home Affairs delegation meets leaders of Thuringia state (Photo: VNA)
The Vietnam Germany Labour Cooperation Forum was co hosted on December 9 by Vietnam’s Ministry of Home Affairs, the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, and the Leipzig city authorities, marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
A senior delegation from the Ministry of Home Affairs led by Deputy Minister Vu Chien Thang co chaired the forum. Participants included Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Nguyen Dac Thanh, BMAS State Secretary Leonie Gebers, Leipzig Deputy Mayor Clemens Schuelke, and representatives from government agencies, businesses and vocational training institutions of both countries.
In his opening remarks, Thang highlighted the deepening Vietnam Germany Strategic Partnership and briefed German partners on Vietnam’s socio economic landscape, describing the country as a peace loving nation with a young, dynamic workforce and strong international integration ambitions.
He said Vietnam is entering a new development phase based on four strategic pillars, with priorities placed on digital transformation, institutional reform and deeper global integration. In 2025, Vietnam is accelerating administrative reform, streamlining the Government apparatus and shifting toward a governance model focused on serving people and promoting development.
On workforce potential, Thang noted that Vietnam is benefiting from a demographic dividend, with a population of 101.8 million as of November and about 68 per cent of working age. He said Vietnamese workers are known for diligence, solid vocational skills and strong learning capacity, forming a foundation for labour diplomacy and international cooperation.
Addressing Germany’s ageing population and skilled labour shortages, he said bilateral cooperation in human resources is strategically complementary and delivers tangible benefits to both sides.
Vietnam, he stressed, consistently prioritises quality over quantity in overseas labour cooperation, committing to sending highly skilled workers with strong discipline, cultural awareness and German language proficiency to meet strict admission standards.
The forum promoted the concept of “talent circulation” rather than brain drain, under which Vietnamese workers contribute to Germany’s economy while gaining skills and industrial experience before returning home to support national development and long term bilateral ties.
Vu Truong Giang, acting director general of the Overseas Labour Management Department, said nearly 2,000 highly qualified Vietnamese workers are currently employed in Germany through programmes such as Hand in Hand for International Talents and cooperation projects with Vivantes.
Delegates discussed measures to remove bottlenecks, including licensing qualified consultancy agencies, improving German language training to B1 and B2 levels, preparing workers for workplace culture, simplifying recognition of qualifications, sharing recruitment costs and ensuring fair recruitment and worker protection.
BMAS State Secretary Leonie Gebers and Leipzig Deputy Mayor Clemens Schuelke praised Vietnamese workers and pledged close coordination to leverage Germany’s new Skilled Immigration Act, creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese workers to work and integrate in Germany.
The forum concluded with agreement to strengthen links between training institutions and enterprises, making labour cooperation a core pillar of the Vietnam Germany Strategic Partnership.
