Citizenship policies and precarity of stateless Vietnamese from Cambodia migrating to Vietnam

ABSTRACT

Most Vietnamese living and fishing in Cambodia are stateless and face a difficult life due to discriminatory treatment by some Cambodian officials and citizens. Therefore, many stateless ethnic Vietnamese have moved back to Vietnam in recent years. This study examines the citizenship policies of Cambodia and Vietnam, which crucially affect Vietnamese migrants’ legal status and ability to find work. The study uses primary data from household and community observations, and in-depth interviews with migrants, local authorities, and representatives of religious-based organisations. All interviews were conducted in Tan Chau district, Tay Ninh province, Vietnam, considered a new residence for many Vietnamese migrants who relocated from Cambodia. The results reveal that restrictions on their legal status have led to a cascade of repercussions that have hampered access to formal jobs and directly impacted their quality of life.

KEYWORDS:

• Citizenship
• statelessness
• precarity
• ethnic Vietnamese migrants
• employment

Acknowledgement

We are indebted to our editors, particularly Assoc. Prof. John Hutnyk for his valuable comments on the manuscript. We also would like to thank Dr. Christoph Sperfeldt and Dr. Erik Harms for their help in improving the quality of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This publication is based upon a project supported by the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City under the grant number [T2019-07].

Notes on contributors

Nu Nguyet Anh NGUYEN

Nguyen Nu Nguyet Anh is a lecturer in sociology and a Dean of the Faculty of Sociology, The University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City. Nguyen received her Ph.D. from the University of Sydney where she studied sociology and social policy and completed the program with a dissertation on social networks of labour migration from Vietnam to South Korea.

Thanh Tam CAO

Cao Thanh Tam holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in sociology from the Faculty of Sociology, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City. His research interests are ethnic minorities (Chinese Vietnamese), stateless migrants, and healthcare workers. He has started his Ph.D. in 2020 in social policy and social work at National Chinan University, Taiwan. Currently, he focuses on researching social policy and social work issues for children and the elderly.