Employment Service Centre officials in Bắc Giang provide career counselling and job introductions to workers applying for unemployment benefits. VNS Photo

BẮC GIANG – Many businesses in Bắc Giang Province are seeking to recruit workers to meet urgent orders and expand production and business activities, off the back of the Lunar New Year (Tết) holidays.

This is a positive sign for the labour market in the north east for the whole of 2025 and is proving lucrative to other provinces as well.

More incentives

These days, the human resources department of Foxconn Technology Group, located in Quang Châu Industrial Park in Việt Yên Town of Bắc Giang Province, has been working at full capacity.

Due to increased production demand to meet order deadlines, the group has needed a significant increase in its workforce since December 2024.

A representative from the group said that in December 2024, they required 5,000 extra workers, in February this year they need approximately 14,000, and in the first quarter, they were looking to hire 22,000 workers, including new recruits.

Recognising that this is a challenging period for recruitment, Foxconn has introduced policies to attract workers beyond wages and welfare benefits. While ensuring that employees earn a total monthly income of VNĐ9-12 million (US$376-502) they are also paying bonuses based on the duration of employment.

Workers participate in an online job fair. VNS Photo

Specifically, between December 2024 and January 2025, workers who come to register for interviews and work will receive bonuses ranging from VNĐ1.5 to 2 million (US$62.73 - 83.64), split into two instalments of VNĐ750,000-1,000,000 ($31.36 - 41.82) after 30 days and VNĐ750,000-1,000,000 after 60 days of work.

Similarly, Lens Technology Vietnam Co., Ltd., located in Quang Châu Industrial Park in Việt Yên Town, also requires about 3,000 general workers just to keep pace with production and business needs.

The company has partnered with Bắc Giang Province's Employment Service Centre to communicate its labour needs to local areas and promote recruitment information on social media platforms like Facebook and Zalo, offering referral bonuses for employees who bring in friends or family to apply.

Notably, during this period, employees starting work at the company will receive 100 per cent of their basic salary and allowances during their probationary period.

According to the labour demand summary of the Bắc Giang Province Employment Service Centre (under the Department of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs), businesses in the province will need about 25,000 workers in the first quarter of this year.

Among these, general labourers account for over 80 per cent, for key industries including electronics, solar energy and textiles.

To compete for workers, many companies have introduced additional incentives in addition to monetary bonuses and full salary and allowances during the probationary period, which can include free training or even stock bonuses.

Support for enterprises in recruiting

Workers explore job opportunities at the Bắc Giang Employment Service Centre. VNS Photo

With the positive signals from the labour market in the early days of 2025, the forecast is for plenty of job opportunities in Bắc Giang Province for the whole of this year.

According to statistics, enterprises will need around 110,000 workers this year, which is a 30 per cent increase compared to last year.

However, during the early months, businesses may face recruitment challenges as workers in the northern provinces have limited demand for job hunting before and after Tết.

Deputy director of the Department of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs of Bắc Giang Province Trần Văn Hà, said that the province currently has 1.1 million workers, including over 330,000 employed in enterprises. Annually, 25,000-27,000 individuals reach working age and can join the labour market.

Additionally, nearly 300,000 workers are engaged in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, many of whom are seeking to switch occupations, Hà said.

However, as most companies require general workers for electronic component production based on specific order timelines, sudden labour demand spikes often exceed the local workforce's capacity to respond, he added.

Thus, some enterprises must recruit workers from other provinces.

To assist businesses in recruiting workers during this period, the provincial People's Committee has issued directives to relevant departments and units to implement solutions supporting recruitment efforts.

The department regularly compiles and announces labour demand statistics, creates newsletters and video clips to inform local and out-of-province workers about job opportunities, and facilitates connections between recruiting businesses and labour service providers to secure manpower.

The department also continues promotional efforts to attract workers from northern provinces and technical colleges to work in Bắc Giang.

The director of the Bắc Giang Employment Service Centre, Nguyễn Xuân Sơn, said it was actively organising job fairs and direct and online exchanges with employment service hubs in other provinces to help workers register for jobs.

The centre focuses on connecting and introducing employment opportunities to two key groups of workers, those receiving unemployment benefits, about 2,000 people, and demobilised soldiers.

In January, the centre collaborated with relevant units to provide career counselling, job introductions and vocational training for over 1,500 soldiers completing military service in Lục Ngạn District.

To meet labour demands, businesses should adjust and relax recruitment conditions, such as broadening the age range, reducing unnecessary paperwork, adhering to recruitment timelines and improving worker benefits.

Additionally, companies should proactively work with labour service providers to recruit workers both locally and from other provinces, said Hà. VNS