Laos urges the unemployed to seek help in finding jobs

The Laos government is urging its unemployed nationals to register with village authorities, who can in turn help them find new jobs amid a spike in unemployment caused by the pandemic.

The country’s Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare has informed its departments country-wide to coordinate with local officials to provide information on the number of unemployed people who need assistance. 

“We are collecting detailed information about the number of people in need of assistance so we can quickly implement government measures to assist those who are unemployed,” said an official from the Hadxaifong Labour and Social Welfare office, reports Vientiane Times.

However, there is a skills mismatch as most companies in Laos seek factory workers, while most workers in Vientiane, the capital city of Laos, are construction workers. 

Currently, companies in Hadxaifong district are seeking about 2,000 new employees, and at least 20,000 people are needed to fill vacancies in factories in Vientiane, according to a report by the ministry. 

It believes state intervention is necessary after the lockdown forced businesses to halt operations, furlough, or retrench workers, and hopes public efforts can be ramped up to aid those who are unemployed.