The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee recently announced the results of the Competitiveness Index (DDCI). This index is used to evaluate the economic management capacity and improve the investment and business environment of local departments and branches.

Accordingly, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City ranked at the bottom of the table with the lowest rating on the following indicators: role of the leader, time costs, transparency and access to information; ranked "second to last" in the indicators of information technology application and digital transformation, business support; dynamism, creativity and effectiveness...

Regarding this issue, Director of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City Le Van Thinh replied to Thanh Nien reporter that the contents of the DDCI index assessment are reflected from the perspective of organizations and enterprises in the process of implementing legal regulations and interacting with departments and branches. This is the contribution of enterprises in the process of operating and implementing the regulations and policies of state agencies to improve day by day.

There are still many regulations that do not meet reality.

However, Mr. Le Van Thinh also pointed out some difficulties that the unit is currently facing. Specifically, although the legal system has been gradually improved, there are still many contents that do not meet the reality, leading to many shortcomings in the implementation process such as:

Firstly, many organizations and businesses have reported difficulties in granting work permits since Resolution 105/2021 of the Government on supporting enterprises, cooperatives, and business households in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic expired.

Second, some conditions for granting work permits to foreigners under current regulations cause businesses to waste a lot of time and incur costs, such as removing the regulation on using a granted work permit to replace work experience, but requiring a document confirming work experience from an organization abroad; or removing the regulation on providing a copy of the passport and replacing it with a certified copy of the passport...

This is not within the jurisdiction of the locality but requires the Government's opinion on law enforcement regulations.

Third, people and businesses face difficulties when carrying out administrative procedures online. This is because the information system for handling administrative procedures in Ho Chi Minh City is being gradually completed, and technical errors arise at certain times.

In addition, due to the large number of administrative procedures submitted by people and businesses while the staff is too thin, it is impossible to immediately respond to the requirements of people and businesses. At the same time, some businesses have not really paid attention to studying legal regulations, leading to unsatisfactory dossiers and taking a lot of time to prepare.

What to do to improve?

From the beginning of 2023, along with the action theme of Ho Chi Minh City, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs is resolutely implementing digital transformation tasks, especially perfecting the steering committee for administrative reform and digital transformation of the unit.

In particular, the key task is to focus on deploying the social security management information system in the area, digitizing and creating industry data, and building a shared data warehouse for the industry.

In the coming time, to improve the DDCI index, Mr. Le Van Thinh said that the reporting unit proposed that the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee recommend that the Government direct competent agencies to review and advise the Government to consider amending and supplementing Decree No. 152/2020 regulating foreign workers working in Vietnam and recruiting and managing Vietnamese workers working for foreign organizations and individuals in Vietnam in the direction of creating more favorable conditions in granting work permits to foreigners.

In addition, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City focuses on providing guidance and widely publicizing information on the electronic information portal of the department and the city about the administrative procedures for granting work permits.

"The department's leaders are urgently directing a review of the DDCI indexes that are rated low so that in May 2023 there will be a plan for improvement. We will also coordinate with other departments and branches to increase dialogue with businesses to promptly remove obstacles," Mr. Thinh informed and emphasized that the unit will continue to drastically reform administrative procedures; improve the capacity of cadres and civil servants, and strengthen discipline and order.