Informal employment accounts for more than 62%

2/3 of informal workers in rural areas

According to the Statistics Office, in the first 9 months of 2025, the number of employed workers nationwide was 52 million, an increase of 552,300 people compared to the same period last year. Of which, urban areas were 20,400,000 people, an increase of 644,800 people over the same period last year; rural areas were 31,600,000 people, a decrease of 92,500 people.

In terms of economic sector, the number of employees in the first 9 months of 2025 in the agriculture, forestry and fishery sector was 13,400,000 people, accounting for 25.8% and decreasing by 263,700 people compared to the same period last year; the industrial and construction sector was 17,400,000 people, accounting for 33.4% and increasing by 318,100 people; the service sector was 21,200,000 people, accounting for 40.8% and increasing by 497,900 people.

In the first 9 months of 2025, the rate of informal employment is 63.4%. Of which, urban areas are 47.6%, rural areas are 73.6%.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan Huong - former Director of the Institute of Social Labor Science, informal workers doing any legal work are creating material wealth for society day and night, contributing to the economic growth rate. Therefore, authorities should have solutions to develop the labor market, especially paying attention to informal workers because the number of informal workers currently accounts for a high proportion in the labor market.

The rate of trained workers with degrees and certificates in the third quarter of 2025 is 29.5%, meaning that the market only has 29.5% of the trained workforce. While we do not have an urgent solution to train and retrain the workforce to reduce the informal labor rate, in the long term, we must have a flexible labor conversion strategy that is close to reality and meets market requirements" - the former Director of the Institute of Social Labor Science proposed.

The labor market is not sustainable

According to Mr. Le Quang Trung - former Deputy Director in charge of the Department of Employment, in the last months of 2025, the labor market will face two major challenges.

Firstly, the labor market is not developing sustainably when the number of informal workers accounts for a large proportion. For every 100 people with jobs, more than 62 people work in the informal sector, which means unsustainable jobs, unstable income and facing many risks, said Mr. Trung.

Second, the unemployment rate among young people aged 15-24 is 4 times higher than the overall unemployment rate. The unemployment rate among working-age people in the third quarter of 2025 and the first 9 months of the year is 2.22%, while the unemployment rate for young people (from 15-24 years old) in the third quarter of 2025 is 9.03%.

This is a very worrying number. The youth force aged 15-24 is considered a young, energetic generation, well-educated and well-trained, but the unemployment rate is 4 times higher than the average market rate. This reality also shows that efforts to create jobs among young people are not really effective. Relevant agencies must review training and job connection policies for young people, so that they are close, accurate, and match market demand to reduce the unemployment rate in this age group to a low level" - Mr. Le Quang Trung emphasized.

Mr. Trung also said that local employment service centers must provide correct, sufficient and regular information for workers to grasp; should organize sessions focusing on the market sector that needs a lot of workers, best organized according to a separate topic.

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