Hanoi labor market shows strong recruitment prospects across industries in late 2025

THE HANOI TIMES — Hanoi’s labor market may see continued recruitment demand in Q4/2025 thanks to positive recovery signals across multiple industries, according to the Hanoi Center for Employment Service under the municipal Department of Home Affairs.

The center estimated Hanoi’s recruitment demand exceeded 50,000 job openings per month in Q3/2025, reflecting businesses’ businesses’ expansion plans ahead of the year-end period and optimism from key growth sectors such as trade, services and tourism.

A survey of 378 enterprises with over 1,000 vacancies revealed notable shifts. Trade and services remained the largest segment at 55%, while construction dropped to 9.3% (down 4.4% from July). 

Manufacturing and processing industries rebounded strongly, rising 5.5% month-on-month to 19% as the negative impact of US tariff policies eased. Transportation, warehousing, hospitality and food services also showed steady hiring needs.

Enterprises have adjusted their focus on qualifications as demand for senior managers fell to 8.6% (down 5.9%), while  highly skilled professionals rose to 20%, indicating a shift toward experienced and specialized talent. University-level workers declined while recruitment for college-level graduates increased, suggesting firms are widening their hiring pools to include both skilled and general labor.

Salary structures also shifted. The most common pay range was VND5 million–VND10 million (US$190–$379) per month, covering 57% of openings in August (down 13.9%).

Meanwhile, salaries between VND10 million–VND20 million ($379–$758) rose to 37%, mainly for roles requiring expertise and experience such as accounting, sales and marketing management, and construction engineering.

Rising demand for workers in trade and services

A key trend is the growing need for skilled workers, but a clear mismatch remains between employer requirements and job seeker qualifications.

The survey found untrained workers still make up the largest share of job seekers, followed by university graduates and uncertified technical workers.

“This shows that unskilled labor continues to face difficulties in the digital era, where automation is reshaping the job market,” said Vu Quang Thanh, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Center for Employment Service.

He added that the city’s labor market is shifting from temporary hires to more stable, long-term positions tied to the economy’s main growth drivers.

Hanoi still needs a large workforce in trade and services to meet rising consumption during holidays and festivals. This will create jobs in retail, e-commerce, logistics and food and entertainment services.

The construction sector is expected to maintain hiring demand, fueled by public investment in major transport infrastructure projects. The processing and manufacturing industries, with steady growth, will keep seeking skilled technicians and workers to meet year-end orders. Tourism is also forecast to sustain stable hiring needs.

Thanh said that the sectors with strong recruitment prospects include tourism, hospitality, food services, healthcare, processing and manufacturing as well as trade and services.

A Q4/2025 Employment Outlook Survey by ManpowerGroup also pointed to stable recruitment prospects, with information technology, finance and real estate leading hiring intentions at 38% each.

Other sectors likely to see stronger hiring demand include communications, consumer goods and services, transport, logistics and automotive, energy and utilities, healthcare and life sciences, and industry and materials.