Minh-Ngoc Nguyen
Research Expert covering Vietnam
Employment in Vietnam - statistics & facts
Vietnam is one of the most populated countries in Asia, with a population exceeding 100 million people as of 2023. Although the elderly population has been gradually increasing in recent years, the country still enjoys a relatively young, dynamic population. As a result, Vietnam has been benefiting from its labor force, which has contributed to the country’s GDP as well as its economic development.
As Vietnam’s economy was once highly dependent on agriculture, this sector has been the largest employer among other industries. On the other hand, as the economy shifts its reliance towards the industry and service sectors, the share of employment by these sectors has been growing at the expense of the agriculture sector. Vietnam has recently emerged as a new manufacturing hub due to its low-cost labor. As a result, the share of people working in manufacturing has been increasing, accounting for the second-largest labor force after agriculture. Furthermore, workers in manufacturing earned more than agricultural workers, who received the lowest average monthly salary in Vietnam. The ongoing expansion of the industry and service sectors has also created more job opportunities that offer better compensation, contributing to the shift in employment in the country.
Employment in Vietnam
Thanks to the Vietnamese government’s efforts in promoting the economy after the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of employed people in Vietnam has slightly increased since 2022. Besides, the Vietnamese government has been investing its human capital by increasing the recurrent expenditure on education and training. Consequently, the country's labor productivity has shown significant improvement in recent years.As Vietnam’s economy was once highly dependent on agriculture, this sector has been the largest employer among other industries. On the other hand, as the economy shifts its reliance towards the industry and service sectors, the share of employment by these sectors has been growing at the expense of the agriculture sector. Vietnam has recently emerged as a new manufacturing hub due to its low-cost labor. As a result, the share of people working in manufacturing has been increasing, accounting for the second-largest labor force after agriculture. Furthermore, workers in manufacturing earned more than agricultural workers, who received the lowest average monthly salary in Vietnam. The ongoing expansion of the industry and service sectors has also created more job opportunities that offer better compensation, contributing to the shift in employment in the country.
