Informal workers lack knowledge about employment, insurance
Seven out of every ten informal workers did not know about employment policies and more than 40 percent of freelance workers had never heard about voluntary social insurance.
Hanoi (VNA) – Seven out of every ten informalworkers did not know about employment policies and more than 40 percent offreelance workers had never heard about voluntary social insurance, accordingto a survey of the Institute of Labour Science and Social Affairs (ILSSA) andth🌱e International Labour Organisation (ILO).
The outcomes of the survey, which covered Hanoi and thecentral province of Nghe An, were revealed at a workshop on October 6. Of those did know about voluntary social insurance, mostlearned from local authorities (32.3 percent), friends or acquaintances (18.3percent). Few were informed by insurance agencies (8.1 percent). Voluntary social insurance regulations took effect inVietnam in January 2008, aiming to provide insurance for informal sectorworkers, mainly farmers and rural employees. However, only 237,000 people have bought voluntary socialinsurance in the last 10 years, and few of them are workers in the informalsector for whom the safety net was designed. Besides, most voluntary social insurance participantsformerly had compulsory social insurance and they shifted to voluntary as theywere unable to continue to use compulsory social insurance for various reasons. Trinh Thu Nga, director of the Centre for Population, Labourand Employment Study under ILSSA blamed poor communication for the low rate of voluntarysocial insurance uptake. People did not know about it, did not understand it, andthus did not join, Nga said. She added that labourers are willing to pay about 400,000VND a month for insurance, or 7.1 percent of their average income. So the voluntary insurance fee of 154,000 VND per month isnot an issue, according to Nga. She also pointed out that voluntary social insuranceparticipants complained that they have fewer benefits compared to those coveredby compulsory insurance. The voluntary social insurance only covers pensions andsurvivor benefits, while compulsory packages provide protection for a widerange of scenarios, including accident and sickness benefits. At the workshop, the ILO recommended that communicationshould be tailored to target groups for voluntary social insurance. Vietnam should consider adding more benefits to voluntarysocial insurance participants as well as reducing the number of years payinginsurance fees to at least 15 years (the current requirement is at least 20years), it also said. The country aims to have half its workforce covered bysocial insurance by 2020. By the middle of this year, about 13.1 million peoplehad compulsory and voluntary social insurance, accounting for 24.5 percent ofthe workforce. -VNA
Vietnam now records over 18 million unofficial workers who account for 57.2 percent of non-agricultural workforce, according to a report announced at a seminar held in Hanoi on October 4.
PM Pham Minh Chinh highlighted how Vietnam's revolutionary press has continuously evolved and strengthened over the past century, affirming its role as a sharp and vital political, cultural, and ideological weapon serving the Fatherland and the people in the glorious revolutionary cause of the Party.
Vietnamese Consul General in Fukuoka Vu Chi Mai highlighted the growing demand for Vietnamese workers in Kyushu, especially in Fukuoka, Oita, and Saga prefectures. Currently, the region employs about 35,000 Vietnamese manual workers and over 5,000 IT engineers.
In Vietnam’s case, she said, President Ho Chi Minh demonstrated his strategic vision by founding the revolutionary press a century ago. The late leader understood the press's role not only as a means to reflect the country’s realities but also as a powerful tool to strengthen national unity and inspire the resistance wars and national construction process.
In recent interviews granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s reporters in Mexico, prominent figures reflected on the press’s legacy and its global influence.
VietnamPlus e-newspaper of the VNA clinched an A prize in the “Outstanding Press Product” category for its immersive 3D multimedia project, “Epic of Reunification,” a groundbreaking blend of storytelling and technology. The VNA won another A prize for its eye-catching exhibition booth.
Today, the press for foreign service has evolved into a distinct, irreplaceable force, bridging Vietnam with the world and portraying a nation that is stable, peace-loving, and fully integrated into the international community.
At a review conference held on June 21, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Van Sinh praised the province’s scientific, coordinated, and flexible approach. He noted that the early completion reflects the strong commitment of local authorities, the business community, philanthropists, and residents in improving housing conditions for disadvantaged groups.
The VNA delegation, led by General Director Vu Viet Trang, actively participated in the event, engaging in both professional and diplomatic activities.
In the context where AI dominates and produces vast volumes of content, the only sustainable path forward for journalism is to focus on high-quality content and core values. Journalism must redefine its mission - not to report the fastest, but to provide the most profound and trustworthy value.
Granma and the VNA have great potential for cooperation, especially in sharing content regularly, so that VNA products are published on Granma platforms and vice versa, thereby helping Cuban and Vietnamese people access true information and gain a deep understanding of each other's country and people.
During his stay in China’s Guangzhou city from 1924 to 1927 to prepare for the establishment of a Communist Party to lead Vietnam’s revolution, President Ho Chi Minh founded “Thanh nien” newspaper and released its first issue on June 21, 1925.
Vietnam and Cambodia are hoped to strengthen their robust collaboration across various sectors, particularly in resolving remaining border issues to transform the border area into a zone of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.
The strategic product, managed and operated by the Vietnam News Agency Digital Media Centre (VNA Media), is an official channel for popularising the Party and State’s information and documents as well as delivering mainstream and trustworthy news to both domestic and international audiences through various kinds of multimedia formats.
Since President Ho Chi Minh founded Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has become the voice of the people. During the resistance war against the colonialists, journalists took great personal risks to inspire patriotism and the will of rising up against foreign invaders.
The total investment exceeded 319 billion VND (12.2 million USD), including over 261 billion VND from the state budget and 57.5 billion VND mobilised from businesses, organisations, and individuals.
The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang is intensifying efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as part of the country’s goal of having the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning lifted.
Throughout its 80-year history, the VNA has remained at the forefront of information dissemination. It has consistently delivered timely, accurate, and objective reports on both domestic and international events, serving the Party’s leadership, the State’s management, and the public’s demand for official news.
With strong support from local authorities, businesses, organisations, and residents, the province has successfully built or repaired 10,707 homes for disadvantaged households, including war veterans, families of martyrs, ethnic minority people, and low-income residents.
Throughout its resistance against colonialists and imperialists, Vietnam developed a revolutionary press that has served as a benchmark for just and legitimate causes worldwide.
Illustrative image (Source: VNA) 
