Hanoi creates 222,000 jobs in 2025, cutting urban unemployment to 2.1%
Hanoi surpassed its annual employment targets, with proactive labor policies, regular job fairs and administrative reforms driving the urban unemployment rate down to 2.1%.
THE HANOI TIMES — Hanoi created 222,000 new jobs in 2025, bringing the urban unemployment rate down to 2.1%, according to the city’s Hanoi Department of Home Affairs.
The department said the city surpassed its annual job-creation target by 31.4%.
Employers speak with job seekers and students at the Hanoi Job Exchange. Photo: Tran Oanh/The Hanoi Times
Throughout the year, Hanoi rolled out a coordinated package of measures to support employment and labor market stability.
The Hanoi Center for Employment Service organized 255 job fairs, attracting more than 7,600 employers and nearly 59,000 job seekers.
These events linked almost 60,000 people with job opportunities and employers recruited more than 20,000 workers.
At the same time, applications for unemployment benefits at the center dropped by 22.7% from 2024.
As a result, Hanoi kept its urban unemployment rate at an estimated 2.1%, beating the city’s target of staying below 3% ahead of schedule.
During the year, the center received nearly 60,000 unemployment benefit applications and approved support for more than 57,000 people, with total payouts reaching VND2.1 trillion (US$80 million).
More than 40,000 benefit recipients received career counseling and job referrals, while 822 people joined vocational training programs to help them return to work.
The Hanoi Department of Home Affairs also simplified procedures and cleared bottlenecks related to work permits for foreign employees.
In 2025, the department issued, reissued or extended work permits and confirmations of work permit exemptions for nearly 12,000 foreign workers.
The agency granted, renewed or extended operating licenses for 85 employment service providers and revoked 23 licenses that no longer met regulatory requirements.
To support businesses, the department organized in-person and online training sessions for nearly 700 enterprises on implementing Decree No. 219, which regulates foreign workers in Vietnam.
At the national level, labor market indicators in 2025 also showed positive momentum.
According to the General Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance, the number of employed people nationwide reached 52.4 million, up 1.1% from the previous year.
The underemployment rate among people aged 15 and above declined to 1.7%, down 0.2 percentage points. Urban underemployment stood at 1.3%, while the rural rate reached 1.9%.
The national unemployment rate for people aged 15 and above edged down to 2.2%. Urban unemployment measured 2.5%, compared with 2% in rural areas.
Average monthly income rose to VND8.4 million ($320), up 8.9% year on year, reflecting continued improvements in labor market conditions and household earnings.
