The Minister of Economy and Innovation, Delina Ibrahimaj, and the Deputy Minister of Interior of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Vu Chien Thang, signed in Vietnam the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of employment, creating a stable institutional framework for the recruitment and employment of Vietnamese citizens in the Republic of Albania.

The signing ceremony took place in the presence of representatives of the responsible institutions of both countries.

The memorandum establishes the foundations of cooperation between the two countries in the process of identifying labor market needs, selecting, preparing, recruiting, and employing Vietnamese employees, while guaranteeing respect for the legislation of both countries and international standards for the protection of workers' rights.

During her speech, the Minister of Economy and Innovation, Delina Ibrahimaj, emphasized that the Albanian economy continues to record stable growth, supported by the development of tourism, private investments, and the expansion of economic activity in strategic sectors.

“Albania is experiencing an important phase of economic development, which has significantly increased the demand for labor in key sectors of the economy. The Memorandum that we signed today with Vietnam is an important step towards creating regular, secure, and transparent channels to meet these needs, while guaranteeing at the same time the protection of the rights of employees and the interests of Albanian business,” declared Minister Ibrahimaj.

Assessing the prospects for cooperation, the Albanian Minister emphasized that, despite being a country with a modest land area, Albania's position within Europe offers an attractive working environment and development opportunities for young Vietnamese workers, while also opening up possibilities for seeking broader career opportunities in the European Union.

The Albanian Minister of Economy and Innovation welcomed and highly appreciated the initiative of Deputy Minister Vu Chien Thang in organizing a Labor Cooperation Forum between the two countries, with the participation of management agencies, sending enterprises, and employing enterprises. Both sides will continue to exchange views through diplomatic channels to select a suitable time to hold this event.

In implementation of the Memorandum, a joint action plan will be drafted, which will define the mechanisms of inter-institutional cooperation, recruitment procedures, training standards, and monitoring of the implementation of the agreement.

The organization of an Albania-Vietnam Economic and Employment Forum was also discussed, which will create a platform for cooperation between institutions and businesses of both countries, to facilitate direct contacts between Albanian employers and Vietnamese partners.

The signing of this Memorandum represents an important step in strengthening economic relations between Albania and Vietnam, contributing to addressing labor market needs, supporting economic development, and increasing the competitiveness of the Albanian economy.

Albania needs to recruit approximately 20,000 to 30,000 foreign workers, including Vietnamese workers. This is especially true for skilled workers with foreign language proficiency in sectors such as tourism, hospitality, restaurants, industrial manufacturing, construction, high-tech agriculture, transportation, and other industries. Albania is willing to cooperate in providing vocational training for Vietnamese workers before their departure, ensuring that the training matches the skill levels recognized by Albania and meets the requirements of the employing companies.