Vientiane:The Department of Employment within the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare organized a stakeholder consultation on September 24, 2026, to address domestic labour shortages and devise strategies to align worker supply with employer demand.
According to Lao News Agency, the meeting was led by Mrs. Anousone Khamsingsavath, Director General of the Department of Employment and Head of the Secretariat of the Labour Supply Balancing Committee. She urged participants to engage in open and practical discussions regarding the domestic employment system, labour demand, and structural challenges impacting job placement.
Mrs. Anousone highlighted factors such as rapid socio-economic changes, technological advances, natural disasters, and inflation as influencing employment stability and business operations. She emphasized the necessity for effective mechanisms to balance labour supply and demand amidst evolving workforce requirements from domestic employers and investment projects.
The Ministry has implemented measures such as online job-matching platforms, recruitment fairs, and public-private consultations. However, challenges remain, particularly the limited use of digital employment services, deficiencies in real-time labour market data, and mismatches between available workers and employer needs.
These challenges also complicate the alignment of vocational training and skills development programs with actual market demand. Mrs. Anousone underscored the importance of stronger coordination between government agencies, employers, and other stakeholders to create a more responsive employment system.
She encouraged participants to share practical experiences and propose viable solutions to enhance labour recruitment, improve wage incentives, and ensure a stable and sustainable workforce supply across various sectors.
