On September 8, the report "In-depth analysis of costs paid by Vietnamese workers to work abroad - Sustainable Development Statistics Index 10.1" was officially announced.
The report was prepared and announced by the Statistics Office in coordination with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on September 8 in Hanoi.
The report is built on the basis of combining the results of the 2025 Labor and Employment Survey and the In-depth Survey on Migrant Workers in 2025.
The survey collected information from 3,596 international migrant workers in 6 provinces and cities directly under the Central Government using the non- probability sampling method. The survey results are not representative of all Vietnamese migrant workers.
According to the report, the costs paid by Vietnamese workers to work abroad have decreased significantly compared to 2021. On average, each worker paid about 125.7 million VND, down from 164.9 million VND in 2021, while income in the first month in the country increased from 22.4 million VND to 28.1 million VND.
As a result, the cost index paid by Vietnamese workers to work abroad (RCI) decreased from 7.4 to 4.5; showing that on average, workers need about 4.5 months of income from the first job to compensate for the expenses spent before departure.
At the workshop, Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong - Director of the Statistics Department - said: "Statistic data is a basis for more fully reflecting the characteristics of Vietnamese workers working abroad, the migration process and factors affecting migration decisions. Thereby, providing evidence for research, analysis as well as monitoring development goals.
Ms. Emelie Rennerfelt - Deputy Ambassador, Swedish Embassy in Vietnam - emphasized that reliable data is an essential foundation to understand what is progressing and what needs to be continued. Each statistic reflects the story of a worker making an important decision about his future.
In the context of Vietnam's efforts to reduce labor migration costs and strengthen labor protection measures, we also see that adequate working conditions and ethical recruitment practices throughout the supply chain will contribute to consolidating these achievements" - Ms. Emelie Rennerfelt said.
