Vietnamese workers prepare to fly to Japan.
Vietnam's Centre of Overseas Labour, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, is now accepting applications from male workers aged 18 to 30 for Japan's IM Japan technical internship programme in the fields of manufacturing and construction. The application window is open from July 1 to September 30.
Eligible applicants must have graduated from high school or an equivalent educational level. The selection process includes maths, written and physical tests.
Selected interns will undergo six months of pre-departure training in the Japanese language and essential skills. The internship duration in Japan ranges from three to five years.
Under the programme, manufacturing workers are expected to earn between JPY 140,000 and 170,000 (approximately VND 24 million to 30 million) per month. Construction workers will receive between JPY 150,000 and 200,000 (approximately VND 26 million to 35 million). These salaries are pre-tax and do not include deductions for insurance, housing, or added income from overtime and benefits.
Launched in 2006, the IM Japan programme aims to provide Vietnamese interns with hands-on technical training in Japan.
As of late 2024, Vietnam has become the leading source of technical trainees among 15 sending countries, with more than 200,000 Vietnamese interns working in Japan. Of these, approximately 110,600 are enrolled in general skills programs, and about 9,000 are under the IM Japan programme.
Vietnam currently has around 650,000 workers employed across more than 40 countries and territories, contributing USD 3.5 billion to USD 4 billion in annual remittances.
Among overseas destinations, South Korea offers the highest average monthly income of USD 1,600 to USD 2,000 for Vietnamese workers, followed by Japan (USD 1,200 to USD 1,500), Taiwan (USD 800 to USD 1,200), and some European countries with similar earnings. In contrast, workers in the Middle East and Malaysia typically earn less, with skilled labourers receiving USD 600 to 1,000 per month and unskilled workers earning USD 400 to 600.
