Illustrative image Young and dynamic women and men make up the biggest group among Vietnam’s wage workers, who are willing to migrate within the country to find work, according to a latest brief report issued by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
The report said wage workers are those who hold an employment contract and often have better working conditions and socio-economic status.
Of all the wage workers in Vietnam, around 47 percent are young, between 15 and 24 of age. Approximately 38 percent of wage workers have migrated internally with the rate of women working outside their home province accounts for 48 percent, while that of men is 32 percent.
In terms of marital status, seven in ten wage workers are married. The situation shows the importance of family-friendly policies including parental leaves and flexible working arrangements to attract and retain the pool of talents, the report said.
ILO estimated that wage employees in Vietnam will total 25 million, or 44 percent of all workers by 2025, in comparison to the current 18.2 million, or 35 percent of total employment as pointed out by the 2013 Vietnam Labour Force Survey.
By economic sector, manufacturing accounts for the most wage employees in Vietnam (29 percent, or 5.2 million workers). Construction ranks second with 16 percent, followed by agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
Approximately half of wage workers are in medium-skill occupation while about one fourth are in high-skill jobs.
The report showed that a notable gender imbalance also exists in different sectors. While women are overrepresented in particular industries such as garment manufacturing, far more men are found in wage employment in construction, fishing and agriculture.
It underlined that in addition to increasing the education and skill level of the workforce, it is necessary for Vietnam to use suitable employment and sectorial development policies to encourage high-value added sectors, which will help the country avoid the middle income trap.
“Having a comprehensive portrait of wage workers is critical for Vietnam to translate into evidence-based policies that best fit the workforce, meet today’s and future demands of businesses, and support structural change and inclusive growth,” said ILO Vietnam Director Gyorgy Sziraczki./.
