World 8.2bn peopleGDP $118tnLife expectancy 73.5 yrsOnline 73.6%
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Labour · East Asia & Pacific · Upper-middle income

Vietnam: the labour market

Labour force is 57.0m (2025), 12th of 187 in the world and 4th of 29 in East Asia & Pacific. Participation rate is 72.8% (2025), 24th of 187 in the world and 4th of 29 in East Asia & Pacific. Women's participation is 68.6% (2025), 20th of 187 in the world and 4th of 29 in East Asia & Pacific.

Labour force57.0m2025 · world 12/187 · region 4/29Participation rate72.8%2025 · world 24/187 · region 4/29Women's participation68.6%2025 · world 20/187 · region 4/29Employment rate71.7%2025 · world 19/187 · region 4/29
Labour force
Vietnam
020.0m40.0m60.0m1995200020052010201520202025Vietnam57.0m
Participation rate
VietnamEast Asia & PacificUpper-middle incomeWorld
55%60%65%70%75%80%1995200020052010201520202025Vietnam72.8%East Asia & PacificUpper-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Vietnam in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within East Asia & Pacific; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Labour forceLabour force, total57.0m202512/1874/2938.8m50.3m55.1m+4.4%since 20151.3bn1.5bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+72.8%202524/1874/2973.4%76.3%74.4%−4.7 ppsince 201565.2%62.7%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+68.6%202520/1874/2970.0%71.7%69.1%−4.3 ppsince 201558.1%53.4%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)71.7%202519/1874/2971.7%75.4%72.8%−4.3 ppsince 201562.7%59.5%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)1.5%2025177/18725/292.3%1.1%2.1%−0.3 ppsince 20153.8%5.2%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)1.4%2025179/18726/292.1%1.1%2.4%−0.3 ppsince 20153.4%5.1%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)6.2%2025153/18721/294.7%3.4%6.5%−0.1 ppsince 201512.5%15.6%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %10.3%2024134/17020/28·8.2%14.2%+0.5 ppsince 201415.3%17.3%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment46.7%2025136/18721/2923.2%33.8%44.1%+7.3 ppsince 201561.0%61.3%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)51.4%202552/1879/2973.7%62.7%53.1%−6.4 ppsince 201535.3%34.8%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment25.0%202573/18714/2964.2%48.7%32.6%−19.0 ppsince 201521.7%19.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment34.8%20255/1871/2912.1%21.7%31.1%+12.1 ppsince 201528.5%27.7%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment40.1%2025156/18725/2923.7%29.6%36.3%+6.9 ppsince 201549.9%52.4%50.6%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

Vietnam and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with Vietnam. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorVietnamChinaCambodiaLaos
Labour force57.0m2025768m202510.4m20253.7m2025
Participation rate72.8%202564.6%202582.4%202566.1%2025
Women's participation68.6%202559.1%202577.4%202561.6%2025
Employment rate71.7%202561.6%202582.2%202565.3%2025
Unemployment1.5%20254.6%20250.3%20251.2%2025
Female unemployment1.4%20254.0%20250.2%20250.9%2025
Youth unemployment6.2%202515.8%20250.7%20252.4%2025
Youth NEET rate10.3%2024—9.7%202522.5%2022
Wage workers46.7%202562.3%202544.5%202522.9%2025
China: labourCambodia: labourLaos: labour
Labour in East Asia & Pacificall 37 economies rankedLabour: upper-middle-income countries59 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesVietnam: all key statisticscountry profile