Vietnam’s wage policy faces great challenges

Vietnam is facing many challenges in implementing a roadmap on raising minimum wage to cover basic needs of labourers by 2017, said Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) Pham Minh Huan.
Vietnam is facing many challenges in implementing a roadmap on raisingminimum wage to cover basic needs of labourers by 2017, said DeputyMinister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) Pham Minh Huan.

Many enterprises have proposed postponing thetarget date to 2020 due to economic difficulties, the deputy ministersaid at a conference jointly held by MOLISA and the International LabourOrganisation (ILO) in Hanoi on November 26.

Sandra Polaski, ILO Deputy Director-General, reiterated the significanceof minimum wage to productivity. She cited a recent research showingthat along with raising wage for their employees, employers will try toinvest more in technology to improve productivity.

Wage is an important index reflecting fairness in society, she said,adding that the ILO wage report for 2014-15 will announce new findingsof a study on the relations between the sharing of wage and generalincome inequality.

At the same time, Dang QuangDieu, head of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour’s Policyand Law Department, said only when minimum wage is sufficient for basicliving conditions, could labour productivity be enhanced.

He noted that the current minimum wage, the basis for enterprises tocalculate wage for workers, fails to cover minimum living costs, whilethe wage gap among different sectors tends to increase.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Manh Cuong, Director of the MOLISA’s Centre forLabour Relations Development Support, said as Vietnam joins theASEAN Economic Community and international trade deals, competition inlabour market in the community will increase, thus raising wage andsalary for improving competitiveness will be inevitable.

Many participants at the conference suggested the building of a stableroadmap for wage increase, while strengthening social welfare toharmonise the rights and interests for both enterprises and labourers.-VNA

See more

Defendants at the court (Photo: VNA)

Ho Chi Minh City court opens trial over Agribank lending scandal

The investigation revealed that multiple credit files were incomplete or riddled with inaccurate information, while some pledged assets lacked proper legal standing yet were accepted and grossly overvalued. As a result, the loans became high-risk and largely unrecoverable, leading to losses surpassing 1 trillion VND.

Hanoi introduces 53 electric buses from April 18 (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi to add 53 electric buses from April 18

According to the plan, all buses operating within Ring Road 1 will use green energy by July 1, 2026. The requirement will expand to Ring Road 2 by January 1, 2028, and to Ring Road 3 by 2030.

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

National, local traffic safety committees to be dissolved from June 1

Under the dicision, ministries and ministerial-level agencies will assume responsibility for tasks previously performed by the committee, in line with their mandates under the Law on Government Organisation, the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety, the Law on Roads and other relevant legal frameworks, ensuring that traffic safety and order are maintained without disrupiton.

Visitors explore technology showcases at the exhibition held during the Da Nang Startup and Innovation Festival (SURF 2025). (Photo: VNA)

About 10,000 students expected at National Startup Day 2026

This year marks the rollout of the “Student Startup Support Programme for 2026 – 2035”, approved under Decision No. 336/QD-TTg, which places emphasis on practical outcomes, real products, real testing, real partnerships, and measurable impact.

Hong Quang High School pilots teaching mathematics in English starting from the 2025–2026 academic year. (Photo: VNA)

National foreign language proficiency framework issued

The circular establishes a unified benchmark for foreign language proficiency across the national education system, providing a foundation for curriculum design, teaching, testing, assessment, and certification. It is expected to help learners better map out their language development pathways while enabling educational institutions to improve training quality and strengthen articulation between different levels of education.