4 challenges for the labor market at the end of 2025

According to the Statistics Office, by the second quarter of 2025, the labor force aged 15 and over nationwide will reach 53 million people, an increase of more than 542,600 people over the same period in 2024. The number of people with jobs reached 51.9 million, the highest in the past 3 years.

According to the economic sector, the number of people employed in the agriculture, forestry and fishery sector is 13.5 million people (26.0%), down 243.7 thousand people; the industrial and construction sector: 17.2 million people (33.2%), up 258.5 thousand people; the service sector: 21.2 million people (40.8%), up 523.3 thousand people.

In the first 6 months of 2025, the rate of trained workers with degrees and certificates is 29.0%, an increase of 1 percentage point over the same period in 2024. Notably, the number of unemployed people also decreased sharply to 1.72%, equivalent to nearly 800,000 people, down 0.33 percentage points over the same period in 2024.

Despite important achievements, according to Mr. Le Quang Trung - former Deputy Director in charge of the Department of Employment, in the last months of the year, the labor market will face some challenges.

First, there are still 2/3 of the informal workforce, meaning millions of workers do not have access to insurance, are not trained or protected from the risk of job loss.

Second, the regional gap in job opportunities, areas such as the Central Highlands and the Mekong Delta have lower employment rates than the national average.

Third, the unemployment rate among young people aged 15-24 is nearly 4 times higher than the overall unemployment rate.

Fourth, there is a shortage of highly skilled workers, especially in the technology, engineering and language industries, although the rate of trained workers has improved.

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