Government urges overseas workers to return amid staff shortage

The Laos government has urged Lao nationals working in Laos and other countries to make themselves available for jobs in Laos, as workers are urgently needed by many businesses.

Laos Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare said this in a statement on Friday.

Employers in many fields are suffering from a shortage of staff after Laos nationals flocked to other countries in search of higher wages and better working conditions, the statement said.

The ministry issued a notice on March 28, instructing local authorities to compile figures on the number of villagers working in other countries, the number of people unemployed, and people on low incomes.

It said lack of accurate data concerning the unemployment situation gives rise to problems such as informality in the recruitment process and a lack of employment protection, as well as a lack of job market indicators.