Labour migration

Assessing needs to improve migrant worker protection: ILO mission visits Thanh Hoa

A recent ILO mission to Thanh Hoa province, a key source of migrant workers for Japan, helped gather vital information for a project improving access to remedy for Southeast Asian workers in Japan.

15 July 2024

Thanh Hoa, VIET NAM (ILO News) - As part of a collaborative effort between the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency), ILO Viet Nam conducted a needs assessment mission in Thanh Hoa province during 10 and 11 July, 2024. This two-day visit, led by Ingrid Christensen, Country Director of ILO Viet Nam and Akira Kawasaki, Technical Officer of ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, served as a crucial step in gathering valuable information for a larger initiative.

Conversation with prospective migrant workers to Japan in Thanh Hoa, Viet Nam

An initiative to improve migrant workers’ access to remedy

The ‘Survey for Co-creating a Joint Work Plan for Improving Access to Remedy of Migrant Workers from South-East Asia to Japan’ project, supported by JICA, is examining the needs and existing mechanisms to support migrant workers from South-East Asia to Japan. In the current inception phase, the project is conducting needs assessment especially in Viet Nam, Indonesia and Cambodia – major countries of origin of migrant workers and technical intern trainees in Japan. The project aims to improve their access to remedy, the ability to seek and obtain a solution for a breach of their rights.

The long-term goal is to create a joint work plan, collaboratively developed with key stakeholders, to strengthen access to remedy for South-East Asian migrant workers to Japan.

Thanh Hoa: a focus on understanding migrant workers needs

Within this context, Thanh Hoa province, with its significant number of migrant workers choosing Japan as their destination, emerged as a key location for the needs assessment. In 2023 alone, nearly half (almost 7,000) of the province's 15,000 migrant workers, opted for Japan. The Thanh Hoa Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (DoLISA) and the Migrant Workers Resource Center (MRC) attribute this trend to Japan's positive working conditions, advanced technology, and emphasis on worker rights.

The ILO mission team engaged with a diverse range of stakeholders in Thanh Hoa to gain a comprehensive perspective. Discussions were held with DoLISA, the MRC, the provincial legal support center, as well as prospective and returned migrant workers from Japan.

Results and next steps

The visit yielded important insights. Prospective and returning workers highlighted adapting to local life, language barriers, and workplace performance as their top concerns. They also shared the resources they found most helpful in preparing for and navigating their time in Japan.

The ILO expressed appreciation for Thanh Hoa's dedication to migrant worker protection and pledged continued collaboration. This mission, along with similar assessments currently underway in Cambodia and Indonesia, represents a significant step towards creating a comprehensive joint work plan.

This broader project underscores the ILO's commitment to ensuring safe and fair labour migration for South-East Asian workers in Japan. By strengthening access to remedy, migrant workers can have greater peace of mind and fully benefit from international employment opportunities.