Technical Memorandum: Viet Nam

This needs assessment of Viet Nam's labour inspection system was carried out at the request of the Viet Nam Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) following a mission by ILO officials in February 2012. The assessment is part of the Government's initiative to strengthen its labour inspection institutions and practices at the same time as the country's labour law is being revised.

The aim of the needs assessment is to help the Government improve the effectiveness and efficiency of its labour inspection services and to assist in prioritizing areas of need as well as planning ways in which to address them. The ILO team interviewed numerous government officials across the country as well as representatives from workers’ and employers’ organizations.

Based on these interviews and following a desk review of legislation and official reports, the ILO team arrived at a number of findings and recommendations, contained in this report, for consideration by the Government and the social partners. These recommendations cover several themes including the revision of legislative provisions on labour inspection; strengthening human resources through training and career development; improving labour inspection equipment and practices; and reinforcing labour inspection planning and programming including through greater emphasis on the preventive function of labour inspection and cooperation with the social partners.

Since the report was finalized, the MOLISA has prepared a draft Master Plan on labour inspection to be submitted for Presidential endorsement. The ILO also intends to carry out a number of activities in cooperation with the Ministry to support the implementation of the report's recommendations.

The document is in both Vietnamese and English.