The Vietnamese government has issued Decree No. 30/2025, which establishes criteria for identifying low-income workers eligible for support under the National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction (2021–2025).

Decree 30 amends and supplements several provisions of Decree No. 07/2021, which defines the multidimensional poverty standard for the 2021–2025 period.

Who qualifies as a low-income worker?

Under this decree, a low-income worker is defined as an individual belonging to a household (excluding those officially classified as poor or near-poor) with an average monthly income of:

$88 or less (2.25 million VND) in rural areas
$118 or less (3 million VND) in urban areas

The criteria for low-income workers are essential for monitoring income shortages and access to basic social services. These benchmarks will guide poverty reduction efforts, social welfare policies, and broader economic planning for the 2022–2025 period.

Local government responsibilities in implementation

The decree assigns provincial and municipal authorities the responsibility of identifying and verifying low-income workers. They must follow procedures similar to those used for classifying farming, forestry, fishery, and salt production households with moderate living standards for the 2022–2025 period.

Local governments are required to:

Review and certify individuals eligible for low-income worker status.
Issue official recognition of those who qualify for assistance.
Implement vocational training programs funded by the National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction, ensuring budget efficiency at both central and local levels.
These support measures aim to be cost-effective, well-targeted, and aligned with national poverty reduction goals.

Earlier, the Prime Minister approved Decision No. 90, formally endorsing the National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction (2021–2025), reinforcing the government's commitment to improving economic and social well-being nationwide.

Vu Diep