DEVELOPMENT OF INCOME SECURITY
In the process of Vietnam’s integration into the world economy and particular
Vietnam became the mamber of the Worth trade Organization (WTO), economic risks
will arise, people’s lives will be greatly affected, therefore, it is essential that social policies be adjusted in response to growth trend and pace of modernization.
SERIES:
SOCIAL SECURITY EXTENSION
INITATIVES IN EAST ASIA
VIETNAM:
DEVELOPMENT
OF INCOME SECURITY
ILO Subregional Office for East Asia
Decent Work for All Asian Decent Work Decade
SYNTHESIS PAPER ON THE DEVELOPMENT
OF INCOME SECURITY IN VIETNAM
(non-health area)
Author: MPA. Tran Van Son
Deputy Devision chief
Ministry of Finance of
Viet Nam
INTRODUCTION
In the process of Vietnam’s integration into the world economy and particular
Vietnam became the mamber of the Worth trade Organization (WTO), economic risks
will arise, people’s lives will be greatly affected, therefore, it is essential that social
policies be adjusted in response to growth trend and pace of modernization. Also, it is
recommended that impacts of current social security system be assessed and new
opportunities for the development of existing policies be examined. It is time Vietnam
invested in social security system which is modern and equitable. In a short period,
Vietnam should operate a modern and comprehensive social security mechanism to help
its people face with risks and avoid turning back to poverty.
Main goal of this report is to present general development history, assess real
situation and direct the trend for the Vietnamese income security. Its specific contents are
as follows:
- Analyzing real situation and responsive trend, based on that assessing the impacts of
this trend on the demand for social security in Vietnam.
- Presenting overview of social security system in Vietnam, including sphere of
influence, participants and beneficiaries and opportunity to enjoy benefits from income
security programs including allowance for children and households, unemployment
benefit, social and old-age pension (such as pension for the disabled and survivors from
accidents and natural disasters); financing and conditions to receive pension; guaranteed
finance and measures for managing social insurance allowance.
- Leading to conclusion and launching some initiatives on practicable approaches in
future in terms of policy and practical application to increase the number of beneficiaries
of income security based on its feasibility, efficiency and stability; putting forward
propositions about policies which organizations should follow.
I. POPULATION TRENDS AND DEMAND FOR SOCIAL SECURITY
IN VIETNAM
Three factors related to population affecting the demand for income security and
social security in Vietnam are as follows: (1) Proportion of women of child-bearing age,
especially those aged 20-24 who are at the highest rate of childbirth. (2) Increase in
proportion of people of working age – an advantage and pressure for the resettlement of
unemployment in Vietnam. (3) Largest rise in elderly population in Vietnam.
These factors are represented by the following figures:
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1. High proportion of women of child-bearing age:
Statistics table 1: proportion (percent) of women to total population of child-bearing
age
Age group 1979 1989 1999 2006
20-29 8.68 9.09 8.82 8.35
20-24 4.93 4.48 4.56 4.40
Sources of data:
- 1979: 1979 General Population Census of Vietnam
- 1989: 1989 General Population Census of Vietnam
- 1999: 1999 General Population and Housing Census of Vietnam
- 2006: An investigation into fluctuation of population, human resource and family
planning on April 1st, 2006
The proportion of women of child-bearing age ranging from 20 to 29, especially 20-
24 women who are of best capacity to give birth is at high rate, according to the data
from the Investigation into fluctuation of population, human resource and family
planning on April 1st, 2006. The proportion compared to the total population is 8.4% and
4.4%, respectively. The ratio of women aged 15-59 among population decreased by 0.4%
in comparison to that of 1999, however, with the total population of 83.9 million now, the
number of women giving birth and new-born babies is 1.5 million which is rather huge.
This trend will continue in 5 and 10 years due to Vietnam’s high birth rate in the past.
This results in great demand for social security in terms of child and mother health-care
in the future. One another problem is that 70% of women having a baby annually live in
rural areas where few can access to social security system.
2. Tendency towards decrease in dependent ratio of population
Dependent ratio measuring interrelation between national population out of working
age (under 15 is youth population, over 60 is elderly population) with labor force
participation (15-59). The following shows that this rate sharply decreased over past few
years. According to 1989 and 1999 General Population Census, within 10 years, the
dependent ratio decreased by 16%, to 70% from 86. By 2006, this rate kept declining to
55%. This meant that 100 people of labor force have to support 55 dependent people out
of working age. The reduction is due to fall in dependent ratio of children.
Statistic table 2: Dependent population rate in Vietnam in 1979, 1989, 1999 and 2006
1979 1989 1999 2006
Dependent ratio of children (aged 0-14 months) 84.5 73.0 56.3 40.7
Dependent ratio of elderly people (over 60) 14.0 13.3 13.7 14.3
General dependent rate 98.5 86.3 69.9 55.0
Sources of data:
3
- 1979: 1979 General Population Census of Vietnam, section 5, page 34
- 1989: 1989 General Population Census of Vietnam, comprehensive census
results, part 1, section 1.1, page 16
- 1999: 1999 General Population and Housing Census of Vietnam, full census
results, section 1.5, page 20
- 2006: An investigation into fluctuation of population, human resource and family
planning on April 1st, 20006
Each year, there is about 1.2 million of people participating labor force and entering
workplace. The proportion of population of working age rise from 50.37% in 1979 to
64.5% in 2006. This trend will continue in the coming years. It is estimated to reach the
highest rate of 69.1% in 2019. It is a good opportunity for development of ever-larger
quantity of human force in Vietnam. However, it also makes creation of employment and
demand for social security for a large number of people under high pressure.
The data collected on April 1st, 2006 indicated that employees in urban areas enter
labor force later and leave the workplace earlier than those in rural areas. The proportion
of labor force participation aged 25-49 is 64.3%. Unemployment rate in urban areas is
4.4%, unemployment rate of men 4.8% is higher than that of women (3.9%).
3. Increase in the ratio of the elderly
One of the most important pointers of senescence in population is elderly indicator. It
is the percentage composition between population aged over 65 and those under 15. The
elderly indicator rose from 12% in 1989 to 17% in 1999, and to 27% in 206. It means that
the proportion of the elderly increased rapidly over two past decades.
Statistic table 3: the proportion (%) of population under 15, over 65 and elderly
indicator of Vietnam in 1989, 1999 and 2006, respectively.
1989 General 1999 General 2006 General
Population Census Population Census Population Census
Population under 15 38.73 33.57 26.3
Population over 65 4.7 5.8 7.0
Elderly indicator 12.1 17.3 26.8
Sources of data:
- 1989: 1989 General Population Census of Vietnam, comprehensive results,
Volume I, section 1.2, page 16
- 1999: 1999 General Population and Housing of Vietnam; comprehensive results,
section 1.5, page 20
- 2006: An investigation into fluctuation of population, human resource and family
planning on April 1st, 20006
4
In developing countries, old population is very troublesome in underdeveloped
economy, incomplete welfare state and insurance system, irresponsive to meeting
increased elderly’s demand for social security.
Although Vietnam’s population is quite young (in April 1999, population over 60
accounting for 8.1% of the total population, that as of April 1st, 2006 is 9, 2%), the
proportion of old people is rising sharply. According to traditions and customs in Eastern
countries, the Vietnamese closely attach to their families, take care of and respect old
people. Most old people in Vietnam were born in hard conditions, once fought in wars
and participated in reestablishment of the country. It is hard to look after old people, 80%
of whom live in rural areas because of the increased number of the elderly and impacts of
western lifestyle and negative effects of market mechanism. The rate of the elderly rises
due to the increase in population over 70; the number of people under 70 intended to fall.
This means that the period the elderly enjoying pension is longer.
Statistic table 4: proportion of population over 60 in Vietnam by period (%)
Year 1950 1965 1979 1989 1999 2006
Vietnam 6.5 7.0 7.1 7.2 8.1 9.2
Sources of data:
- Statistic year book 1990, 1989: 1989 General Population Census of Vietnam,
comprehensive results, Volume I, section 1.2, page 16, 1999: 1999 General
Population and Housing of Vietnam; comprehensive results, section 1.5, page 20,
2006: An investigation into fluctuation of population, human resource and family
planning on April 1st, 20006.
The differences in terms of elderly ratio by region: differences in geographical
locations result in dissimilarities in elderly ratio among different regions. Generally, in
urban areas and deltas, the ratio of old people is higher than that in mountainous, remote
and far-flung areas. The highest rate of old people is in Red River Delta, the lowest in
Central Highlands and Northeast which have highest birth and infant mortality rate. Only
southeast has lowest rate of birth and infant mortality among other regions in our country.
However, this region absorbs a large number of immigrant labor forces, so its population
structure is young. In short, these characteristics should be regarded in regional social
security.
Increase in old women: in age group over 60 in our country now, man-woman ratio
is: 140 women for 100 men; man population declines by age. Man-woman ratio of
population aged 80 or over is: 2 women for 1 man. Widows outnumber widowers by 5 to
1. There are four times as widows as widowers. The main reason is that female life
expectancy is higher than those of men from 4 to 6 years of age on average. This
characteristic should be regarded in the process of drawing retirement pension for men
and women.
Forecast about fluctuation of the elderly in 30 years (1999-2029)
5
It is estimated that in the next 30 years, male life expectancy will rise by 5.2 years of
age (from 67.4 to 72.6 by 2029), female life expectancy will increase by 4.6 years of age
(from 74.0 to 78.6). Average life expectancy will rise by about 1-5 years of age (rising
sharply in first years and eventually in the next years).
An estimate of old people in 1999-2029
It is estimated that old people will rise from 6.19 million in 1999 to 16.49 in 2029.
However, there will be various rates according to different periods.
In 1999-2029, the number of old people will rise by 1.4% per year (approximately
equal to natural population growth rate), far lower than that in past ten years (1989-1999,
2.9% -twice as much as population growth rate). So, in first decades in 21st century, the
number of old people will stall. This is gold period of Vietnam’s population (the ratio of
old people was not high and population of working age is at highest rate).
In 2009-2019, it is estimated that the elderly will rise remarkably (about 5% per year,
4,5 times as much as population growth rate at the same time). It is predicted that
Vietnam’s population will get older in 2014-2015. At that time ratio of the elderly is
10%, and the age at which population is divided into two equal parts is 30 years of age.
In 2019-2029, ratio of the elderly keeps increasing at highest rate (5% per year), by
2029 there will be 16.8 million of the elderly making up 17.8% of total population.
In 30 years (1999-2029), it is estimated that old population will rise by 3,26% per
year on average; population of working age group (15-59) increase by 1.23% per year;
youth population (0-14) fall by 1,9% per year.
Challenges of older population
- It is predicted that by 2029 there will be 16.5 million of old people (accounting for
17% of total population). High ratio of the elderly will put pressure on healthcare,
because expenditure on the elderly healthcare is 7.5 times as much as that on young
population (15-59).
- Under the negative impacts of industrialization and modernization, quite a few
young people migrate from rural to urban areas in search of work, therefore, there remain
only women, children and old people live in countryside. Furthermore, old people in rural
areas have no health insurance and retirement pension. Consequently, it is hard to care
old people.
- Increase in the number of people over 70 years of age is a high pressure because old
people need help in their everyday activities.
- Negative impacts of market mechanism and industrialization exert bad influence on
old people’s spiritual health.
II. GENERAL PERSPECTIVES OF SOCIAL SECURITY AND
INSURANCE IN VIET NAM
1. Definition
According to ILO, social security refers to social protection of society’s members
against economic and social difficulties due to loss of or decreases in income because of
illness, pregnancy, accidents at work, occupational diseases, unemployment, disability,
old age and death. Social security also includes healthcare and allowance granted to
nuclear families.
6
Social security systems are designed differently among countries all over the world.
However, it includes: social insurance, social relief, allowances from public funds, family
pensions, standby funds, safeguard introduced by employers, services related to social
security, programs within the framework of hunger eradication and poverty alleviation
goals, and forms of non-official social sponsorship.
Social security operates based on the principle of solidarity to ensure social equality.
It doesn’t simply include income security mechanisms, but it is a complex of instruments
that reallocate wealth and services, advantageous to members of the community in
general and unhappy members in particular. Each mechanism of social security protects a
specific group with different conditions and at various levels, which requires financial
help. This help may come from: public fund established by protected people and by
employers, state funds and the community through humanitarian organizations.
Among social security mechanisms, social insurance is the first pillar which creates
replacement income in case regular income is interrupted suddenly or lost and protects
the salaried in society. According to the report released by ILO (Convention 102, 1952),
social insurance consists of 9 following characteristics: healthcare, various pensions such
as illness, unemployment, old-age, occupational accident and disease, family, pregnancy,
disability and death. The Convention dictates that countries signing the Convention have
right to apply it in some mechanisms at least including unemployment, old-age,
occupational accident – occupational disease, disability or death pensions.
*Role of social security in Vietnam’s income security: according to the Census of
living standards in 2004 by General Statistics Office, per capita income in Vietnam was
6.1 million Vietnamese Dong per year. Income comes from mainly salary, accounting for
32%. Income arising from agricultural production of households makes up 27%, from
trading 22%. Transfer of money among members of family through deposits occupies
10%. Role of social security is limited. Income from social security is lower than those
from other sources (4% and 5%, respectively). Income from assisted bank deposited
exerts more influence on per capita income than the transfer of money by State does.1
Figure 1: Aggregate Private Household Income in Viet Nam 2004
1
Source: Authors' calculations from VHLSS 2004 using GSO income definitions, UNDP 2007 How
progressive is social security in Vietnam
7
5% Rent & ot her income
4%
27% 10% Social Securit y Income
Remit t ances
Waged Employment
Household Business &
32% T rade
22%
Household Agricult ural
P roduct
Out of 4% of income from social security, two-third comes from long-term social
insurance pension (retirement pension and allowance for revolutionary martyr families).
One-fourth of pension is reserved for health services, 9% it for beneficiaries such as
veterans, wounded soldiers, revolutionary martyr families on welfare, 5% for education
and 2% for short-term insurance including illness, pregnancy of the salaried who enjoy
social insurance.
2. Social and health insurance programs in Vietnam
*Development process:
In our country, after The Democratic Republic of Vietnam had been founded, the
government promulgated numerous documents in order to offer state employees social
insurance including retirement, healthcare, accident, death gratuity pension. However, not
until 1961, insurance policy covered state employees thanks to foundation of united
social insurance fund. Social insurance fund, at that time, is a dependent one belonging to
state budget, but its revenue mainly came from state budget and contributions by state
offices and agencies. The contribution is calculated in percentage terms of total wage-
fund (from 1962 to 1987: 4.7%, from 1987 to 1993: 15%). All state employees were not
forced to make insurance payment. The management of social insurance was assigned to
Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and General Confederation of Vietnam
(today Vietnam General Confederation of Labour). In private sector, social insurance
regulations applied to members of cooperatives were also passed (resolution 292 on
February, 1982). Nevertheless, these regulations were observed in short period of time,
from 1982 to 1989.
After the Seventh National Congress, our country introduced wide-ranging reforms
including reform in social insurance. The reform in social insurance was crucial to
implement social policies, which was responsive to new economic situation. The
innovation was marked with separation of healthcare for workers in case of illness from
8
social insurance. It became a dependent fund named health insurance (Decree
299/Council of ministers on August 15, 1992, promulgation of Decree of social
insurance). It stipulated that both employees and employers must participate in making
insurance payment. After that, on June 22, 1993, the Government promulgated Decree
43/CP on temporary social insurance mechanism, which started extensive and
comprehensive reform in social insurance with a view to abolish state subsidies for social
insurance, expand compulsory participation (participants of social insurance are all of the
salaried), stipulate new income and expenses, restructure income…
Social insurance program through contributions include retirement, injury, pregnancy
pensions and by 2002 will include additional unemployment pension. Insurance payment
will be made 15% by employers and 5% by employees. Vietnam’s Social Insurance
manages income and expenses. Retirement pension payment is added to existing
insurance system. 80% of insurance expenses are covered by the state budget because
contribution has applied since 1995. Insurance programs are described in box 1:
Box 1: Social insurance programs
Short-term pensions:
Pregnancy pension is reserved for women who breast-feed their babies until they are 4
months of age. This pension also includes 3 days off to have a check-up before birthing.
Pension for illness includes 30-60 days off per year. Employees who work in toxic and
dangerous working environment and have made insurance payment for a long time have
more days off. Pension receiver must be confirmed by medical centers. Workers also
have 15-20 days off in case of their children’s illness. The insured have maximum of 180
days off without regard to time of premium payment.
Injury and occupational disease pensions are reserved for people who have injuries and
diseases when they are at work or on way to work. Employers have to pay all expenses
including salary and medical expenditure. Degree of pension is calculated when impacts
of injury on employers’ working capacity and degree of injury are defined. Degree of
pension is fully paid, equal to minimum wage of 4 -12 months. A worker losing over
30% of working capacity will receive monthly pension, equal to 40%-60% of minimum
wage.
Unemployment pension and pension for people dismissed due to labour redundance: full
payment equal to a-month wage.
Long-term pension:
Retirement pension is used for people who have paid premium for at least 20 years (15
years for those who work in toxic working environment), over 60 years of age for men
and 55 for women. Retirement pension account for 45-75% of average salary which
people receive when they still work. The lowest retirement pension is equivalent of
minimum wage. Insurance payers may receive retirement pension earlier in case they lose
9
61% of working capacity. However, retirement pension will reduce by 2% per year when
insurance payers don’t settle premium.
Death pension: this pension is for children under 18, husband or wife, biological parents
and father or mother-in-law of those who have paid premium for over 15 years. Monthly
pension is equivalent of 40-70% of minimum wage. If this pension is fully paid once, it
will be equivalent of salary within 12 months.
In the ninth meeting of the eleventh National Assembly held in June 29th, 2006, some
sets of laws had been passed, including the Legislation on Social Insurance
No71/2006/QH11 signed by President Nguyen Minh Triet on the Decree No13/2006/L-
CTN and to be in practice in July 12th, 2006.
The legislation, which contains 11 chapters and 141 clauses, stipulates policies of
social insurance, rights and responsibilities of workers, offices, organizations and insured
individuals, social insurance funds, social insurance procedures and state management of
social insurance.
The law has a new point: besides mandatory social insurance, voluntary social
insurance is extended and unemployment insurance is added as described in Chapters 4
and 5. This is an important change in social insurance policy of the Party and
Government aiming at serving every employee in all economic sectors and at fulfilling
the demands for global integration.
Regulations concerning social insurance include:
- Mandatory Social Insurance: Sickness benefit, maternity benefit, work injury and
occupational diseases benefit, retirement pension and survivorship benefit.
- Voluntary Social Insurance: Retirement pension and survivorship benefit.
- Insurance against loss of income due to unemployment: Unemployment benefit,
vocational training assistance, job seeking assistance.
The law came into effect in January 1st, 2007; however, voluntary social insurance
will be valid in January 1st, 2008 and unemployment insurance in January 1st, 2009. This
law will not take effect on the health insurance, saving insurance and other commercial
insurances.
Employees on the state payroll, the pensions they receive will be calculated based on
the average of their monthly salaries used as basis for calculating their social insurance
premiums. And lump-sum allowances for those who have paid social insurance premiums
since January 1st, 1995 up to the day social insurance law is valid are also determined in
Section 4, clause 59 as below:
“For employees who have paid social insurance from January 1st, 1995 to
December 31st, 2000, their pension will be the average of monthly salaries, which have
been used as basis for calculating their social insurance premiums, of 6 years before they
retire; and others insured from January 1st, 2001 to December 31st, 2006 their pension is
calculated based on the average of monthly salaries of 8 years before they retire” (To
those who participated in social insurance schemes before 1995, pension is calculated
based on the current legislation).
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The average of monthly salaries used as basis for calculating pension and lump-
sum allowances for people who have paid social insurances since the social insurance
legislation valid is described in Section 1, Clause 60: “For employees on the state payroll,
their pensions will be calculated from the average of monthly salaries, which have been
used as basis for calculating their social insurance premiums, of their last 10 years of
working before they retire”.
Mandatory and unemployment insurance premiums are calculated based on the
wages of employees. Voluntary social insurance premiums are calculated based on the
level of income chosen by employees but not less than the minimum wage determined by
the government.
Participants will get the benefits calculated from their expenses for social insurances
and the time they participate in social insurance schemes. The benefits are shared
between participants.
Those who participate in both mandatory and voluntary social insurance schemes
will get the pension and survivor benefit calculated based on the duration of paying social
insurance premiums.
Another different point in the new legislation is lump-sum allowances of retirement
pensions will not be controlled but “it is calculated based on the number of years that a
person participates in social insurance schemes. The duration is calculated based on
gender of participants - 31 and over for men and 26 and over for women. Insured people
will get one half of their monthly salaries” – Article 2, Clause 54.
Annually, the Government will have a report on managing and using social insurance
fund.
Every three years, the state auditing agency will work on the fund and then report to
the National Assembly. If required by the National Assembly, the Standing Committee of
the National Assembly or the Government, the fund will be audited unexpectedly.
At the time of Vietnam’s admission to the WTO, social insurance law promulgation
is very essential to ensuring social insurance. This will adjust the social relationships and
make them more appropriate to the current socio-economic development situation and in
the future as well.
* Current situation of Social insurance in Vietnam:
- Size: The number of people participating in social insurance schemes has increased
by 54% from 2001 to 2006, from 4.08 million to 6.3 million2. However, the social
insurance system can only help 11% of the workforce and could not cover those with
serious difficulties. Most of those who gain from social insurance are from formal
sectors, most likely the state sector.3
- The beneficiaries from social insurance: Social insurance payment has been
increasing year after year, mostly paying for retirement pension (85% of total costs).
About 90% of the raise came from retirement pensions. Retirement pensions were mainly
paid to state employees working in periods before 1995, the time that new regulation on
2
Annual Financial report Vietnam Social Security 2001-2006
3
Viet Nam Development report, 2004
11
receipts and expenses of pension fund came into effect. This group of people will
definitely be major beneficiaries from retirement pension in the near future.
The increase of the people applying for short-time insurance was very high: sickness
benefit (nearly 40% from 2002 to 2004), maternity (over 60%). In 2004, about 1.8
million people received sickness and work injury benefits and 200 thousand women got
maternity benefit. Those figures indicated a very high percentage out of 5.4 million
people participating in social insurance schemes.4
- Balancing the social insurance fund:
One of public concerns was the possibility of fund-imbalance in the future, though
the balance after 10 years since the establishment of the fund was over 60,000 billion
VND (2006). After 2001, the velocity of the fund has been reducing. The balance of the
pension fund alone in 2001 was about 22,000 billion VND, increased 36% each year
since 1998 (9,000 billion VND). In 2006, it was 62,000 billion VND, increased by 30.8%
a year, since 2001.
There are many predicted causes of fund-imbalance in the next period (2030). From
the managing point of view, there are two problems: the stage of designing mobilizing
schemes, using fund and the stage of implementation. Obviously, low contribution level
and high enjoyment level can lead to fund-imbalance. If the income and expenses are not
properly controlled, the fund will definitely be imbalanced.
The total of contribution depends on many factors: the rate, salaries which are used
as basis for payment calculation and the number of participants. The level of enjoyment
depends on such factors as the enjoyment rate, the level of retirement pension or benefit,
the duration and number of insured people. The factor that most affects fund-balancing is
the duration of social insurance payment and enjoyment. According to the current
legislation, employees and employers pay 15% of the wages for pension fund and
survivorship benefit. Employees only have to participate in social insurance schemes for
15 years; men at full 60, women at full 55, shall have monthly pensions equal to 45% of
their monthly salaries and the average duration of enjoyment is about 13.5 years. In other
words, the level of enjoyment is 3 times higher than that of contribution.
Moreover, the fund-balancing is also affected by other social policies such as wage
policy and job policy, etc. According to the Labor Code, men can retire at 60 and women
at 55, and average retirement age is 57.5. However, from 1995 to 2003, the average
retirement age is 51.5, reduced by 6 compared to the law. It is calculated based on the
statistics in 2003, a person retire before retirement age one year, the pension fund will
reduce 10 million. As the number of people who retire under their retirement age has
been increasing rapidly over the past 10 years, the pension fund’s expenses has been
increasing quickly as well. The minimum wage was adjusted in 2003, increased to
290,000, from 120,000 VND (1995). That also contributed to the imbalance of the social
insurance fund. It is predicted that in 2022, receipts and expenses will be balanced and in
2030 the balance of the fund will be reduced. The International Labor Organization (ILO)
and financial experts said that if Vietnam Government does not have proper adjustment,
the fund will run the risk of being imbalanced.
4
Source: Data from VSI
12
Social insurance policy, which has been applied widely and quickly expanded, is
very important among the system of social policies of Vietnam government. However, to
adjust social insurance policy the government needs a certain set of rules which guarantee
the target of effect and equality. Some of the basic rules: The rule of contribution-
enjoyment – everyone who want to enjoy the benefit shall have the responsibility to
contribute; the fund-balancing rule – the level of contribution and enjoyment must be
calculated based on the “law of big number” to make sure the fund is balanced.
- The principle of equality in social insurance: This principle is ensured both in the
relationship between contribution and enjoyment and in the relationship between
different groups of people participating in social insurance schemes in different areas:
+ In the relationship between contribution and enjoyment: Employees used to pay for
social insurance premiums based on the very low minimum wage, but now the wage has
been increased, therefore retirement pension is increased correlatively. The differential
quickly cuts down the social insurance fund while the expenses continue to increase too.
Besides, employees only have to pay mandatory social insurance premiums in 15 years
only to get monthly pensions equal to 45% or 75% of the average of monthly salaries
before their retirement. That leads to the fact that some people under 40 years old can
receive their retirement pensions due to the regulation. In 15 or 20 years, employees will
pay social insurance premiums calculating based on salaries of each month, but the
pension is calculated based on the highest monthly salaries, therefore, the small amount
of differential to a person actually contributes to the imbalance of the social insurance
fund. Moreover, the number of old people, especially women, is increasing. Women live
4-6 years longer but retire 5 years earlier than men. As a result, the duration of receiving
retirement pension of women is longer while the time they participate in social insurance
schemes is shorter.
+ In the relationship between people participating in social insurance schemes:
Social security for farmers: In the time of integration, farmers will be affected the
most; however, in Vietnam, there is not yet a way to ensure farmers’ lives.
Social security for the poor: In fact, some people on high income still get benefit
from social security while the poor are restricted to this kind of support. One of the
reasons is the limitation of the backward distribution mechanism. The ratio of social
security enjoyment is 6:1 between the richest and the poor and 4:1 between the rich and
the poor (39.1% and 27% to 6.6%). People with higher income get 10 times benefit more
from social security programs than those with lower income in rural and mountainous
areas (0.66 million VND to 0.07 million VND)5. Non-state employees have fewer
chances to participate in social insurance schemes than state ones. The social insurance
system only covers 11% of the workforce, most of them work in formal sectors,
especially the state sector, and the poor don’t have a fair chance.
Social security in urban and rural areas: The difference is mainly poorer
households in rural areas receive much from medical and educational support while
richer households in urban areas receive much from retirement pension.
5
VHLSS 2004, figure 2.6, tr 25, UNDP 2007 How progressive is social security in Vietnam.
13
Social security in different socio-economic regions: People who live in Mekong
River Delta and Tay Nguyen did not gain much from social security programs (1.5% and
2.8% accordingly). In contrast, people living northern central coastal region and Red
River Delta get the most (7.8% and 7.3%). Overall, the average income received from
social security of people living in the north is higher than those in the south mainly due to
retirement pension. – 68-76% of the income. There are much more retired people in the
north than in the south because many people working in the state sector before the
Vietnam War have been accredited by the government. Therefore, the total retired people
increased. People in southern regions did not get much of the social security benefits but
they were assisted strongly by other target programs such as medical and educational
support programs.
III. SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM OF VIETNAM
Besides the implementation of social insurance schemes, Vietnam also rapidly
carried out many other schemes under the Social Security System.
1. Permanent social security fund
Beneficiaries of this type include: solely old-aged people, orphans, invalids. Since
2001 over 90-year-old people and HIV/AIDS infected people have been added to the list.
The scope of this fund is small, covering only 0.3% of the population6. The national
budget is insufficient, while local budget cannot help settle down plus poor management
system all make the people who qualify the conditions suffer a loss because they do not
receive the pension or if they do, it is very small. As a result, their lives are still the same
as before, with no big changes.
2. Support fund for veterans and wounded and sick soldiers
A series of programs supporting veterans and injured soldiers in kind or transferred
money has been created and implemented by the Social Security Fund. Pension received
through transfer payments helps 2-3% of the population in 1999 (Justino 2005) and other
indirect types of support have a higher coverage rate. Every month, each family who has
a martyr or former soldiers whose working capacities have been reduced to 61% receive
175,000 VND and those who cease to work get 725,000 VND. Total costs of this
program were around 4,000 billion VND in 2004. However, there were many identical
cases in which people who get retirement pension also get war allowance.
The program also offers economical and social support in kind for martyrs’ families
and injured soldiers, including health insurance for about 1.1 million people, house
construction for 14,000 people and loans without refunding to do the business. Moreover,
houses of gratitude are built in many localities for beneficiaries of social welfare, heroic
Vietnamese Mothers for example.
3. Health Care
In Vietnam, medical care has been performed differently in three different periods.
6
Justino P. (2005) Beyond HEPR: A Framework for an Integrated National System of Social
Security in Viet
Nam UNDP Viet Nam Policy Dialogue Paper 2005/1, Hanoi: UNDP
14
* From 1961 to 1992: Temporary legislation concerning social insurance in 1961
considered health care and sickness support high priority. As specifically described
below:
- Ensuring medical care for state employees and officials.
- Those who are ill, injured by industrial accident, infected by occupational
diseases and maternity women included.
- The fees are subsidized by the State (by providing diagnostic services, treatment,
medicine and traveling expenses, etc.) However, places and ways of treatment are
different due to differences in wages and salaries of different groups of people.
* From 1992 to 2002: On 15th, August 1992, the Decree No 299/HDBT promulgated
the regulation on Health insurance, hence, it was officially separated from social
insurance and under the control of the Ministry of Health. The system of offices working
on health insurance then is established from the central to every locality. The typical
features of medical care in this period:
- Mandatory medical care is applied not only for those who work in state sector but
also for all workers in other sectors.
- Providing sickness and maternity benefit; however people suffering from
occupational accident or diseases are excluded from the list of beneficiaries. (This is one
of the differences compared to the regulation in period 1961-1992 and Convention No
102) Besides, the exclusion list contains such cases as people with social diseases, inborn
diseases, people in health restoration duration, convalescent, those who have cosmetic
surgery or related operations, birth-control services, special health protection services,
optional medical services, abroad treatments, war accidents and natural calamity cases.
- The budget for medical care is gathered from wages and salaries of workers (1% of
wages) and employers (2% of payroll) with no support from the government. Though the
office of health insurance is under control of the Ministry of Health, the work is indirectly
performed through contract signing between Health insurance Agencies and health care
centers.
*Since 2002: health insurance and social insurance are under the same managing unit
for these below reasons:
- Both have similar target to manage (obligation type) and integration will make
everything easier, more convenient and economical. This will ensure better services as
well.
- In the past, though Medical Care was under control by the Ministry of Health, it
was performed indirectly. In long term, Vietnam is yet to apply the direct model for
medical care. Therefore, integrating medical care into social insurance, keeping the
model on one hand and on the other hand the cashier can easily control the receipts and
expenses, supervise medical care services and expand the fund.
Vietnam health insurance covers about 13% of the population7, including mandatory
and voluntary insurance. Employers pay their 2% of payroll and employees pay 1% of
their wages. Voluntary health insurance can be bought through insurance cards which are
7
Justino P. (2005) Beyond HEPR: A Framework for an Integrated National System of Social Security in
Viet Nam UNDP Viet Nam Policy Dialogue Paper 2005/1, Hanoi: UNDP
15
valid in one year. Most of participants in this type of insurance are students in pilot areas.
Sometimes they are under high pressure to join the program. The costs are different in
different sorts of schools and piloting areas8. Overall, only about 20% of students
participate in this program9.
4. Poverty Reduction Program
Such programs aim at maintaining assistance to communes with high rate of poverty
determined by Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) or
mountainous areas where live the ethnic people. These programs include:
National poverty reduction program and program No 135. The two programs support
people in kind or by building the infrastructure and offering preferential loans instead of
directly subsidizing. The managing unit consists of the MOLISA and the State
Committee for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas (SCEMMA) with the
cooperation of the Ministry of Health in medical support activities, the Ministry of
Education and Training (MOET) with tuition-free programs, the Ministry of Agriculture
and Rural Development in agriculture expansion encouragement and business
development programs, and the State Bank with credit programs.
An assessment of the MOLISA and UNDP showed that generally the programs work
effectively on almost all of the poorest among the poor. (UNDP 2004)
In four years, from 2002 to 2005, 3,418 poor households benefited from family credit
program with general budget of 12,899 VND billion ($US 800 million). It is estimated
that 75% of the poor, accounting for 15.8% of the population, received assistance from
this program. All of them used the loans effectively and repaid on their due date with
only 2% overdue.
In some provinces in Tay Nguyen, the poor have had their own land. In other
provinces, they have been loaned to buy land. Agriculture encouragement program has
supported about 2millions of households by providing a training course on new farming
techniques to increase productivity and income for a sustainable life. The infrastructure
has been improved with new schools, infirmaries, dykes and roads, especially in
mountainous areas.
Types of medical and educational support consist of direct and indirect support.
Educational support
The public education system: primary education is obligatory for children aging 6 to
10; lower secondary education for pupils, who finish primary education, aging from 11 to
14, is not obligatory but to be universalized soon; and upper secondary education for over
15-year-old children graduating from lower secondary schools. There are many types of
vocational training centers and professional schools aside from colleges and universities.
8
According to Circular No. 40/1998/dated July 18, 1998 jointly issued by MOET and MOH, the premium
ranges for voluntary insurance are 15-25,000VND for students of primary and lower secondary school
pupils, VND 30,000-40,000 for students of upper secondary schools, vocational training schools and
universities. The Presidents of the PC of the provinces/cities will decide the premium levels based on the
socio-economical situation of the localities within the above framework. An example: a primary school
pupil in Ha Noi has to pay VND 30,000 for health insurance for the year 2005 (data provided to the authors).
9
MOH and GSO, 2003. National Health Survey 2001-2002, Theme Report: The situation of Health Insurance in Viet Nam, MOH
and GSO, Ha Noi. (page 4).
5
16
There is a lower level than primary education called pre-school education or nursery
education.
Educational support makes up for a quite large part in national target programs. The
number of pupils going to school increases at least 20% when they do not have to pay for
their schoolings or if they have to, the fees should be low10. The supporting programs
offer other kinds of assistance such as buying textbooks and tools for schooling or
providing scholarships. Poor children in supported areas can go to school without fees or
if they have to pay, the fees are very small. In 2002, 1.5% of the children aging from 6 to
14 benefited from fee remission and 15.2% did not have to pay the fees11.
In 2001 and 2002, 120 billion VND ($US 7,5mil) from national budget was spent on
supporting education sector12. By that, an estimation of 3millions of children get the
support, 5.5% households get the remission and nearly 20% poor households benefited
from the program13. There are many types of support, including fee remission, textbooks
and tools assistance, class and building reconstruction fee support and scholarships.
Those types of support aim at assisting poor children, however not all of them receive the
benefits and the procedures of determining who would be the beneficiaries are not quite
transparent. Shortcomings still remained in using the money from supporting programs14.
Moreover, non-formal fees such as school construction fees, uniform fees and extra-
schooling fees, etc are badly preventing poor children from accessing education.
Medical support
Vietnam’s Public healthcare system is organized in four levels: the highest level is
the Ministry of Health, and then comes the city/provincial departments, district
departments and finally the lowest level, medical centers in communes. Besides, children
and women's healthcare services are managed vertically, including Department of
Reproductive Health of the Ministry of Health, centers for children and mother’s
healthcare in every province, mobile teams of children and mother’s healthcare under
control of district medical centers and medical cadres in communes who are in charge of
children and mother’s healthcare at commune level.
Public healthcare system for children only consists of some national and regional
pediatric hospitals, pediatrics of provincial hospitals. The public healthcare system
provides childcare services are performed in medical centers rather than at homes and
mainly when they get ill15. Besides, many national medical programs focusing on health
protection and disease prevention, nutrition supply are built and directed by the Ministry
of Health such as the national vaccination extended program, the national anti-nutritional
10
UNDP, 2004, Taking stock, planning ahead: Evaluation of the National Targeted Programme on Hunger
Eradication and Poverty Reduction and Programme 135, Ha Noi, Viet Nam.
11
Viet Nam Managing Public Expenditure For Poverty Reduction And Growth", A Joint Report of The Socialist Republic of Viet
Nam
And The World Bank, Financial Publishing House, April 2005
12 13
, UNDP 2007 How progressive is social security in Vietnam.
14
Edwin Shanks and Carrie Turk, Policy Recommendations from the poor, Viet Nam Local Consultations on the Draft
Comprehensive
Reduction and Growth Strategy (Volume II: Synthesis of results and findings), report for the Poverty Task Force, Ha Noi
15
Population Institues: Vietnam Children development, 2006
17
deficiency program, mother’s milk nursing program, anemia deficiency prevention
program, iodine deficiency prevention program, diarrhea prevention program and acute
respiratory bacterial contamination prevention program.
The budget for health care includes: state budget and treatment fees. In 1989,
treatment fees and free access to medical care for certain groups of people were applied
in the public healthcare system. The fees at provincial level were determined by the
Ministry’s instructions. 70% of the revenue get from fees will be reinvested in
equipment; 25-28% will be given to medical personnel as rewards and 2-5% for the state
budget for supporting free medical centers (i.e. psychiatric hospitals and tuberculosis
hospitals).
Private medical services and health insurance have been developing since the
introduction of “doimoi” and the old system of comprehensive and free initial healthcare
has been gradually removed due to the collapse of the co-operative system and the
reduction of medical support. Poor equipment and low quality service make the
commune medical centers no longer the first places where people seek for health
services.
** Medical support for the poor: The poor people will get a social insurance card
valued 70,000 VND/year from the provincial budget. In 2003, the social insurance fund
has 520 billion VND, accounting for 68% of the national budget allocation.
It is estimated that there were 14.3 millions of people (17% of the population)
qualified the conditions described in the Decree 139. Up to December, 2003, about 11
millions of people had been supported by the social insurance card program (3.6 million)
or had been refunded (7.4 million). Thus, 11 millions of people gained the benefit from
medical support program for the poor and only 3.3 millions of people (23.7% of the
qualified) did not16.
The effect of such programs depends on how to determine poor households in their
living regions. The preferential group consists of solely old people, orphans with no
homes and the disabled in poor families. The People’s Committees at commune level will
create a list of qualified people and their profiles. Then, the list will be sent to the
Committees at district level and then to the Labor and Social Affairs Departments of the
districts or cities. Each department with the co-operation of the offices concerned will
recommend the number of beneficiaries based on its budget to the provincial people’s
committees for approval. Social insurance cards will be bought from local social
insurance agencies and distributed to committees of districts. The offices then will
redistribute the cards to Communes’ committees. Finally, the cards will be given to
households. An estimated 9.5% of the poor got the poor household certificate and 9.9%
received social insurance card (Vietnam Development Report 2004). Some provinces did
not implement program as scheduled and card distribution was non-correlated between
provinces.
** Free medical diagnosis and treatment for children under 6:
16
Ministry of Health , Annual Report on healthr care for the poor, Hµ Néi,
3/2004.
18
Since 2000 children under 6 years old have not had to pay medical fees when they
come to hospitals for medical diagnosis and treatment. Older children get support from
medical insurance schemes for students since 1995. However, in the school year 2001-
2002 there were only about 4.2 millions of pupils participating in medical insurance
schemes nationwide, accounting for 20%17. In other words, medical insurance for the
poor, diagnosis and treatment for poor children financed by the Government are the two
feasible schemes while other schemes are not stable18.
5. Other guarantees by employers
a. Severance allowance and job loss allowance
Severance allowance is an amount of money employers pay for employees under
their control when the employees quit the jobs in the certain cases in accordance with the
legislation as follows:
- The contract is expired
- The contract is legally ended by employees only
- The contract is unilaterally terminated by employers not because employees are
sacked for serious misconducts.
Job loss allowance is a benefit for employees dismissed because of enterprise’s
structural and technological changes. The changes cause the employees to passively lose
their jobs although the contract does not expire. The job loss allowance either includes
severance allowance or means a sum of compensations to make up damage for
employees who are unilaterally terminated contract by employers for short time.
The above allowance schemes used to be generally implemented in the period of
1994 and then separated since Law of Labor was passed.
st
• The period 1945-1954: on January 1 , 1945, Ministry of Labor promulgated
compulsory documents that forced industrial workshops, businessmen to report a month
in advance before dismissing and fixing allowance for the dismissed. On March 12th,
1947 President Ho Chi Minh signed a decree 29/SL which official said employers had to
pay seniority allowance for workers when they got the sack not because they willingly
stopped their jobs to work in other enterprise or do their own business. On May 20th,
1950, and May 22nd, 1950, the government promulgated 2 decrees 76/SL and 77/SL
which prescribed severance allowance for disability (resulting from prolonged illness or
accident) when the employees worked in state sectors.
• The period 1955-1985: The Prime Minister’s circular 88/TTg passed on October
st
1 , 1964 prescribed implementation of job loss allowance in the cases of organization
strengthening, reduction in the workforce, the closure of enterprises, the termination of
employment by employees for their specially hard family situations or response to
government campaigns such as going reclaiming virgin soil in the mountainous areas, ect
or for the worker’s expectation in accordance with reduction in the workforce in the
organization. The amount of the prescribed allowance was distinguished between the
allowances for workers before and after 20/07/1954. Workers who worked before
20/07/1954 would receive allowances including persistent allowance and minor
allowance worth of haft of their wages per working year. Workers who worked after
20/07/1954 also received the amount of the allowance as above. However, the minimum
17
Report: Health Insurance in Vietnam, 2001-2002, tr 6.
18
Report: Health Insurance in Vietnam, 2001-2002, tr 4.
19
and maximum of the allowance was limited: maximum-5 months’ wages, minimum- half
of a month’s salary (and benefit). In addition, the workers who enjoyed severance
payment would receive one more allowance worth of from half of a month payment to 3
month payment (including benefits) not exceeding the entire payment during the working
period. Also workers were subsidized train fare, luggage fee, travel expenses for their
entire family to their accommodation and were still supplied with rice vouchers as usual.
• The period 1985-1994:
- The Decision No 217/HĐBT dated November 14th 1987 on planning reform and
business posting for state owned enterprises (SOEs) and Circular 1-LĐTBXH-TT dated
January 9th, 1988 that guided to practice the Decision No 217/HĐBT promulgated that
employees (on the payroll or in the contract) who were fired for reduction in production,
dissolution of enterprises would be paid an allowance of a month including benefits and
subsidies. Employees who were unfairly sacked for violating disciplines (their guilt was
not serious enough to be sacked), were under criminal investigation would receive an
allowance of half of a month including benefits and subsidies.
- On December 29th, 1987, Decision 227/HĐBT of Ministers Council on
reorganization, reduction in the workforce in administrative units prescribed state officers
who voluntarily left job for household production or seeking another job would receive
an allowance at the equivalent of one month’s wages and other benefits (if any) for each
working year in state sectors
- On October 9th, 1989, Decision 176/HĐBT on labor rearrangement in state-owned
enterprises prescribed severance allowance was paid for employees working in non-state
sectors. Each persistent working year workers would receive an allowance worth of a
month’s basic wages and benefits (if any) with the minimum of 3 months’ wages paid by
the enterprise. The weak units were only subsidized maximum of a half of an allowance
by the government. This was an allowance at once directly paid for workers; however, if
there were not enough budgets in cash, deferred-payment could be agreed.
- On April 12th, 1991, Ministers Council promulgated Decision 111/HĐBT on
several policies on workforce rearrangement in administrative units which prescribed that
employees who switched to working in non-state units each working year would be paid
an allowance of a month’s wage and benefits worth of the minimum of 3 months’ wages.
- On August 30th, 1990, State Council promulgated a Decree-law on Labor Contract
to adjust labor relationship between wage-earners and employers. The Decree-law
prescribed severance allowance for employees when the contract was terminated. Decree
165/HĐBT dated May 12th, 1992 specifically prescribed the implementation of the
Decree-law and fixed the severance payment at the equivalent of a half of a month’s
wage or salary and benefits (if any) for each working year in the event of termination of
the contract as agreed or termination of the contract by either employees only or
employers only against Decree-law on Labor Contract. However , the employees would
enjoy an allowance worth of three forth months’ wages in case of termination of the
employment with employees who were ill, disabled - resulting from illness or industrial
accident or occupational disease (although they were treated in 6 months, they had not
yet recovered from illness), pregnant women who were on maternity leave under the
regulation, women who were nursing and/or taking care of child or children less than
20
