According to the World Bank, Vietnam has had the sharpest minimum wage increase in the region, a 14 percent rise in the 2014-2016 period.

Starting next year, minimum wage in the private sector will increase by 5.5 per cent after three-party negotiations between representatives of the State, employers and employees ended yesterday.

Eight hours a day, five days a week, 35-year-old Nguyen Thi Hoa (*) painstakingly looks for tiny defects in thousands of apparel products at a dusty garment factory in Lai Vu Industrial Zone, the northern province of Hai Duong.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Monthly minimum wage will increase from VND1.39 million (US$60) to VND1.49 million ($65) at the beginning of July next year, 

VietNamNet Bridge – An increase in the minimum wage moved a step closer yesterday after the National Wage Council agreed to increase basic salaries.

GSO (General Statistics Office) has released a report showing that labor productivity is VND93.2 million per worker, or $4,159, in accordance with 2017 prices. 

 VietNamNet Bridge – Bui Van Cuong, President of the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour, speaks to Viet Nam News Agency about the need to reform the country’s salary system.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Viet Nam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS) yesterday proposed that the regional minimum wage (covering four regions in the country) not be increased next year.

The forthcoming spikes in the region-based minimum wages are expected to improve workers' incomes but production costs in labor-intensive industries will certainly pick up.

The minimum wage is too low for workers to survive on while social housing is inadequate and too expensive for them, trade unions told HCM City’s leaders at a meeting on Sunday.

Real wages in Vietnam have increased by 8 percent per annum, higher than the GDP growth rate, while regional minimum wages have increased by 12.2 percent per annum, higher than the labor productivity increase.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The monthly minimum wage will increase by an average of 7.3 per cent next year.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Bui Sy Loi, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Committee on Social Affairs spoke to Thoi bao Kinh te Viet Nam (Viet Nam Economic Times) about changes to the 2012 Labour Code.

VietNamNet Bridge - The 7.3 percent increase in the minimum wage increase for 2017 is the smallest increase in the last decade but businesses still do not like it. 

VietNamNet Bridge - The steering committee of Vietcombank, members of the board of directors and supervisory board receive VND1.9 billion a year in salary each. 

 VietNamNet Bridge – Bui Sy Loi, deputy chairman of the Social Affairs Committee of the National Assembly, talks with Thoi Bao Kinh Te Viet Nam about calculating minimum wages for employees.

VietNamNet Bridge – Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Minh Huan spoke with Thoi bao Kinh te Viet Nam Newspaper about measures needed to improve labour relations, in a bid to reduce strikes.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The National Wage Council is expected to launch a survey in late March or early April to collect data for region-based minimum wage increases in 2017.

A report from Navigos Search, an executive search management consultancy service provider, found that in HCM City, healthcare tops the list of the 10 fields which offer the highest pay to mid-tier and high-ranking officers. 

The minimum wage increase, a lack of highly qualified personnel and strict regulations on extra working hours all have been cited by foreign invested enterprises (FIEs) as problems they are facing.