Payment for Supporting Expenses for Ethnic Minority Workers to Work Abroad: Procedure and Implementation
State Support for Ethnic Minority Workers Working Abroad?
The Ministry of Finance has recently issued Circular 55/2023/TT-BTC which stipulates the management, utilization, and settlement of non-business funds from the state budget to implement national target programs for the 2021-2025 period.
In clause 1 Article 25 Circular 55/2023/TT-BTC, it regulates the content and level of support for workers in ethnic minority and mountainous areas working abroad under labor contracts as follows:
For workers who are ethnic minorities, and Kinh ethnic workers from poor households living in ethnic minority and mountainous areas:
- Vocational training, skill training: According to actual costs, up to the level stipulated at point b and point c clause 1 Article 7 Circular 152/2016/TT-BTC.
- Support for foreign language training: Up to VND 4,000,000 per person per course.
- Support for meals and living expenses during training: VND 50,000 per person per day.
- Support for accommodation during training: VND 400,000 per person per month.
- Support for personal items (uniform, blanket, mosquito net, shoes, etc.): VND 600,000 per person.
- Support for travel expenses (one round trip) from the registered permanent residence to the training location: VND 200,000 per person per course for workers residing at least 15 km from the training location; VND 300,000 per person per course for workers residing in areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions at least 10 km from the training location.
- Costs for procedures for workers going abroad:
+ Passport, laissez-passer, exit permit fees: Actual costs according to the provisions of Circular 25/2021/TT-BTC of the Ministry of Finance on collection, remittance, management, and use of fees and charges in the field of exit, entry, transit, and residence in Vietnam.
+ Fees for providing judicial record information: Actual costs for those not exempted from fees according to the provisions of Circular 244/2016/TT-BTC dated November 11, 2016, of the Ministry of Finance on collection, remittance, management, and use of fees for providing judicial record information.
+ Visa fees according to the current regulations of the receiving country.
+ Medical examination costs according to service prices of medical facilities, with a maximum support of VND 750,000 per person.
For Kinh ethnic workers from near-poor households living in ethnic minority and mountainous areas:
- Support for vocational training, skill training according to actual costs, up to the level stipulated at point d clause 1 Article 7 Circular 152/2016/TT-BTC.
- Support for foreign language training according to actual costs, up to 70%, and support for other costs at levels applicable to ethnic minority workers, Kinh ethnic workers from poor households as stipulated at point a clause 1 Article 25 Circular 55/2023/TT-BTC.
How is the payment of support funds for ethnic minority workers working abroad implemented?
How is the support for ethnic minority workers working abroad regulated?
In clause 2 Article 25 Circular 55/2023/TT-BTC it regulates the form of support for ethnic minority workers working abroad as follows:
Support for training, vocational skills enhancement, and foreign language training for eligible workers through a bidding mechanism, placing orders, or assigning tasks to vocational, foreign language training institutions, or enterprises and organizations sending workers abroad.
In cases where conditions are not met, or service providers cannot be selected, or workers have completed the course beforehand, direct support is provided to workers when they meet the conditions to go abroad based on actual invoices and documents.
How is the payment of support funds for ethnic minority workers working abroad implemented?
The payment of support funds for ethnic minority workers working abroad is stipulated in clause 3 Article 25 Circular 55/2023/TT-BTC as follows:
For cases of bidding, placing orders, task assignments for training: Payment of funds is implemented according to Article 24 Decree 32/2019/ND-CP.
For workers who have completed the course and are waiting to go abroad, the Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs office supports the eligible individuals based on receipts or invoices for vocational training, skill enhancement, foreign language training, medical examination, passport, visa, judicial record, and related documents verifying the workers qualify for the support.
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