Article by Mr. Dinh Hong Ky, published in Nhip Cau Dau Tu Newspaper on February 26, 2012. Exporting capital means exporting knowledge (which we really need) and importing simple labor (while we have a surplus) which is very worrying.
Exporting bosses means exporting knowledge (which we really need) and importing simple labor (while we have a surplus) which is very worrying.
On the electronic newspaper TuanVietnam.net, there is an article “Why import bosses and export maids” by author Nguyen Trong Binh. The content of this article is not strange. Since the country’s renovation, the wave of foreign investors entering Vietnam and Vietnamese labor exported abroad has increased day by day. Both aspects bring positive values in both the short and long term to the country and society. However, perhaps the author as well as a large part of society do not see the opposite trend: exporting bosses and importing maids. This is really the hidden part of the iceberg that the author has only mentioned the surface of. It has truly become a trend in Vietnamese society and business community.
The Boss
In the 70s, 80s, and 90s of the last century, many Vietnamese people migrated abroad and formed a community of more than 3 million Vietnamese overseas. They left for many purposes, but mainly for economic or political reasons. Starting from the end of the 20th century, when the country was reformed and opened up, the market economy reappeared and developed, a new class of wealthy businessmen appeared. And about 10 years ago, a new wave of wealthy people migrating abroad began to form. Their destinations were mainly the US, Australia, Canada, the UK, and some island countries with high living standards and many tax incentives. The bosses who came to these places were not only from Vietnam but also from China, India, Russia, and Eastern Europe.
Why, when they became rich, didn’t the bosses stay in Vietnam to enjoy themselves when prices here are still among the lowest in the world? The majority of their answers were to find a good living environment for their family and a standard education for their children. And so, following the previous wave of economic and political refugees, a wave (although smaller) of educational and living environment refugees has begun to form. Instead of previously earning money abroad to live in Vietnam, now a group of bosses do the opposite. They buy houses, send their whole families abroad to live and study, while still maintaining their business in Vietnam. Once they have overcome the story of food and clothing, they want to spend money to buy high-quality education, fresh air and a healthy, civilized living environment.
Importing maids
Six years ago, I went to China to visit a factory that produces grinding stones of the same type as the products we make in Vietnam. I was really surprised that with the same technological process and machinery, the productivity of a Chinese worker was 250% higher than ours, while their salary was only about 30% higher.
Once in Dak Nong, when I saw many Chinese manual laborers working on the construction site, I asked the Chinese commander why they didn’t hire Vietnamese workers for cheaper prices. He said that he thought it would be cheaper to hire Vietnamese workers, but in fact, Chinese workers worked harder. They were willing to work 13-14 hours/day, and were more efficient, so it was still cheaper. He said that Chinese workers were gentle, didn’t know how to drink or play around, and most importantly, they were more afraid and obedient to their boss than Vietnamese workers.
Let me tell you another story about the word “maid”. Currently, in some high-end residential areas, people often hire Filipinos, Bangladeshis, etc. as housekeepers. The reason is that they know English, work hard and professionally.
From the above stories, it can be seen that our country in the open-door period not only exports labor but also imports labor. This trend is increasing day by day.
The article by author Nguyen Trong Binh stated that exported workers transfer back to the country more than 1 billion USD each year, but with the new trend of “exporting bosses – importing maids”, the amount of foreign currency transferred out of the country in many different forms is probably much larger.
In addition to the financial perspective, if exporting bosses means exporting talent, exporting knowledge (which we really need) and importing simple labor (while we have a surplus), it is very worrying.
Living in the era of globalization, foreign investors coming to Vietnam or exporting Vietnamese labor to other countries is also a normal thing. The problem is how we perceive it and what policies the Government needs to have to keep up with reality and bring the highest benefits to the country and its people.
Six years ago, I went to China to visit a factory that produces grinding stones of the same type as the products we make in Vietnam. I was really surprised that with the same technological process and machinery, the productivity of a Chinese worker was 250% higher than ours, while their salary was only about 30% higher.
Once in Dak Nong, when I saw many Chinese manual laborers working on the construction site, I asked the Chinese commander why they didn’t hire Vietnamese workers for cheaper prices. He said that he thought it would be cheaper to hire Vietnamese workers, but in fact, Chinese workers worked harder. They were willing to work 13-14 hours/day, and were more efficient, so it was still cheaper. He said that Chinese workers were gentle, didn’t know how to drink or play around, and most importantly, they were more afraid and obedient to their boss than Vietnamese workers.
Let me tell you another story about the word “maid”. Currently, in some high-end residential areas, people often hire Filipinos, Bangladeshis, etc. as housekeepers. The reason is that they know English, work hard and professionally.
From the above stories, it can be seen that our country in the open-door period not only exports labor but also imports labor. This trend is increasing day by day.
The article by author Nguyen Trong Binh stated that exported workers transfer back to the country more than 1 billion USD each year, but with the new trend of “exporting bosses – importing maids”, the amount of foreign currency transferred out of the country in many different forms is probably much larger.
In addition to the financial perspective, if exporting bosses means exporting talent, exporting knowledge (which we really need) and importing simple labor (while we have a surplus), it is very worrying.
Living in the era of globalization, foreign investors coming to Vietnam or exporting Vietnamese labor to other countries is also a normal thing. The problem is how we perceive it and what policies the Government needs to have to keep up with reality and bring the highest benefits to the country and its people.
(Mr. Dinh Hong Ky – Chairman and CEO of Secoin Construction Materials Joint Stock Company)
