Job opportunities will increase this year in nine sectors of finance, banking, insurance, estate trading, information technology, administration, political and social affairs, housekeeping and international activities, according to a report from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs' Centre of Labour Market Information and Forecast (LMIFC).

Sectors that offered many opportunities last year, such as mineral resources exploitation, processing, electric production and allocation, construction, hotel services, education, health care and entertainment, were expected to decline this year.

The largest decline in opportunities would be in mineral resources exploitation, with job demand falling from 10.6 to 9.6 percent.

Agriculture, forestry, aquaculture and seafood production, which provided jobs to nearly 23 million labourers in 2008, are expected to see a demand fall to about 21.1 million by 2020.

The report predicted that political and social activities, administration and subordinate services will have the most demand for workers this year, but this will decrease by 50 percent by 2020. Meanwhile, demand in processing and manufacturing would double from 1.2 to 2.3 percent by 2020.

Information technology also offered more opportunities, with more faculties to be established and more masters degrees granted by universities and colleges.

FPT University will open four new faculties (information systems, electronics and communication, computer science and information technology application in accounting).

The Ho Chi Minh City University of Science will open three in information technology (computer science, information systems and software techniques).

The LMIFC also predicted that this year will see an increase of employment in estate trading due to the real estate market's recovery last year.

Novaland Group Deputy Managing Director Phan Thanh Huy said the firm planned to recruit more for its projects this year. Last year, the company met its target of employing 1,000 labourers and expects to hire 2,800 this year to implement 17 mineral exploitation projects in HCM City.

However, he added that recruitment was tougher this year due to increased competition in the domestic job market.

Many other land companies were also boosting their recruitment with promotion policies.

Out of 4,800 workers registered for recruitment, only 800 offered their application files, the Director said.

Le Vu Tuan Anh, Deputy Director of Thang Long Real, said the company planned to implement at least three major projects in northern HCM City this year. Therefore, it needed at least 120 employees for management positions including marketing and securities.

He said the company planned to offer advantageous salaries and bonuses to attract employees.-VNA