The number of Vietnamese laborers sent to work abroad under contract reached its peak with 155,000 people last year, 29 percent higher than the year's plan and marking an increase of 8.55 percent compared to 2022, Vietnam News Agency reported Wednesday, citing the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.

There are currently about 650,000 Vietnamese guest workers in 40 countries and territories in the world, it said.

Vietnamese guest workers send home about 3.5-4 billion U.S. dollars in remittances each year, contributing to the country's socio-economic development while helping their families to have a better life, according to the ministry.

The ministry has set a target of sending 125,000 Vietnamese laborers abroad to work under contract in 2024.