Labour productivity is a recurring theme in Vietnam with the country trailing in Southeast Asia. In 2021, it was fourth to last of ASEAN member states (excluding Burnei), ahead of only Myanmar, Cambodia, and Lao. According to the Asian Productivity Organisation Vietnamese workers were productive to the tune of…

If a plan to raise the salaries of Vietnam’s lowest paid civil servants is approved, it will see their pay increase to no less than VND 5 million, about US$200 a month. This will be roughly in line with the region 1 minimum wage from July 1st but still quite

The four regions by which Vietnam defines what minimum wage should be paid where, are to be updated this year when the minimum wage rises in July. This will see several local government areas move up a bracket giving an extra boost to minimum wage workers in these areas. Moving

This will be welcome news for Vietnam’s minimum wage workers with no minimum wage hike last year despite inflation floating around 4 percent. The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor had been pushing for between 6.48 percent and 7.3 percent with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a peak business representative body, pushing for between 4.5 and 5 percent. Vietnam’s National Wage Council, which makes recommendations to the ministry, looks to have essentially split the difference.

Overtures have been made by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour–the VGLC–to the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs to reduce standard working hours below the current 48 hours a week. This was announced back in January, however, in recent weeks the idea has gained traction with local

Worker retention has become a problem at some firms in Vietnam due to pending changes to the ability to access social insurance before retirement. Currently, workers can choose to take a one-time payout if they are out of work for more than a year. There have, however, been reports that

DW is carrying this analysis of Vietnam’s approach to ratifying the UN International Labor Organization’s Convention 87 which would allow independent trade unions in Vietnam. Of note, it carries comments from Joe Buckley, a researcher specialising in labour and development in Southeast Asia. He points out that Vietnamese law makes

Vietnam is set to ratify the UN’s Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention this year, Reuters is reporting citing UN officials and diplomats.This would essential give workers the right to organise their own trade unions independent of the government–currently, all trade unions must be affiliated

Vietnam’s National Wage council has approved a 6 percent pay raise for Vietnam’s minimum wage workers from July 1, 2024, VN Express is reporting. The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor had been pushing for between 6.48 percent and 7.3 percent whereas the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a peak

Aon’s 2023 Salary Increase and Turnover Report has found that Vietnam has seen an actual salary increase of 7.5 percent this year, Human Resources Online is reporting. The report also found an expected increase in 2024 of 8 percent and says that tech sector wages in Vietnam are expected to

‘Experts’ are calling for a comprehensive investment strategy to encourage university students to enrol in STEM subjects, Vietnam Plus is reporting. The percentage of students enrolled in STEM subjects in Vietnam in 2021 was 28.7 percent compared to 46 percent in Singapore, 50 percent in Malaysia, 35 percent in South

Just 14 million or 26.8 percent of Vietnam’s workforce have a degree or formal qualifications, Doanh Nhan Saigon is reporting. A further 33 million workers or 66.6 percent of the workforce are also employed in informal work–subsistence farming for example. This suggests that low-cost labour may be an option for