Job seekers attend the UEH Career Fair held in HCM City on November 3. — VNS Photo Thu Hằng

HCM CITY — Starting salaries are expected to remain unchanged for the majority of positions across all industries, ManpowerGroup Vietnam’s 2025 Salary Guide forecasts.

The maximum pay for certain positions that require over five years of experience is likely to increases by US$500 a month.

Banking and financial services will significantly outperform other industries in terms of pay, and will be followed by the digital and technology sectors.

Annual pay raises will vary by industry, with logistics and supply chain leading with increases of 10-20 per cent, and consumer goods and retail with a more modest 3-7 per cent.

With employers increasingly focused on workers’ wellbeing, benefits provided commonly include health and safety programmes and premium health insurance, with many companies extending coverage also to family members.

With digital and green transformation gaining momentum across the board, companies are prioritising technology upgrades, digitalisation, AI and automation, and sustainable practices.

This focus drives recruitment demand in emerging functions like digital engineering, ESG, risk management, and compliance.

Việt Nam is emerging as a potential semiconductor hub for global manufacturers, driven by competitive labor costs, government incentives and increased foreign investments.

In 2025 recruitment will focus on three key areas: the surging demand for skilled engineers, the growing emphasis on R&D roles to drive innovation and a shift towards developing local talent.

As Việt Nam becomes more globally integrated, employers increasingly require workers to be proficient in at least one foreign language. Besides English, languages such as Chinese, Japanese and Korean are highly sought after.

​The report foresees an emerging trend of green jobs as part of ESG adoption across sectors.

Simon Matthews, regional manager for Southeast Asia at ManpowerGroup, said: “Our recruitment data reveals that demand for green talent in Việt Nam is currently high in manufacturing, technology, energy, transportation and logistics, and agriculture.

“With only 9 per cent of businesses in APAC having the talent they need for their ESG goals, we believe this trend will become more prominent in the coming year.”​

Beyond compensation, job seekers are now significantly influenced by factors such as job fulfillment, personal stability, societal and environmental impact, and organisational contribution.

Việt Nam will continue to experience robust business growth in 2025, with more enterprises establishing the country as their strategic market.

This year’s report not only provides salary benchmarks for more than 700 roles spanning 12 industry verticals but also delves into total workforce costs, including pay raises, bonus schemes and top in-demand skills and roles. — VNS