Vietnam Employers Are Hiring More in 2026 - But Struggling to Compete for the Talent They Need

By Valerie Ong, Regional Marketing Manager, Reeracoen Group

Vietnam's hiring market in 2026 is not constrained by demand. It is constrained by execution.

That is the central finding of the Vietnam Employer Hiring Study 2026, conducted by Reeracoen Vietnam in March 2026 based on responses from 51 employers across Vietnam's major industries. The results reveal a market defined by genuine growth ambition - and structural challenges that are making that ambition harder to act on.

If you are an employer, HR manager, or business leader operating in Vietnam, this data matters for your hiring decisions in 2026.

The Headline: 7 in 10 Employers Plan to Hire More

The hiring outlook for 2026 is unmistakably positive. 69% of employers surveyed expect to increase their hiring activity compared to 2025, with 14% anticipating significant growth. Only 10% expect any reduction in headcount.

This is not cautious stabilisation. It reflects genuine business confidence, driven by continued FDI inflows, digital transformation across sectors, and organisational scaling across Vietnam's manufacturing and services industries. But here is where the data gets more complex.

Five Structural Tensions Shaping Vietnam's Talent Market

1. The Efficiency Paradox: Hiring Up, Budgets Flat

69% of employers plan to hire more in 2026, but only 43% are increasing their recruitment budgets. 47% are holding budgets flat and 10% are reducing them. Companies are being asked to source more candidates at higher salary levels with the same or less resource. For organisations that do not adapt, this paradox will compound into competitive disadvantage.

2. The Salary-Retention Spiral

86% of employers cite rising salary expectations as their top hiring challenge. 84% expect to raise salaries for new hires. 33% identify salary competition as their biggest retention risk. Wage inflation is simultaneously driving up recruitment cost and eroding workforce stability.

3. The Mid-Level Talent Vacuum

39% of employers cite a shortage of mid-level managers as a top challenge. The hardest roles to fill are not entry-level - they are experienced hires: manufacturing engineers (35%), sales professionals (35%), factory supervisors (33%), and IT/AI specialists (31%).

4. The Digital Skills Gap

73% of employers identify digital and AI-related skills as the most urgent upskilling priority - ahead of leadership development (51%) and English communication (37%). Digital fluency is no longer a differentiator. It is a baseline expectation.

5. The Intelligence Partner Shift

80% of employers want faster shortlisting from their recruitment partners. 69% want salary benchmarking and market intelligence. 49% want cultural fit pre-screening. The traditional high-volume CV model is being replaced by a demand for precision, speed and strategic counsel.

What Employers Are Prioritising in Candidates

The top selection factors in 2026 are:

• Relevant hands-on experience (82%)
• Long-term commitment and retention potential (71%)
• Salary alignment with company budget (61%)
• Cultural fit with management style (49%)
• English proficiency (39%)

The 71% weighting on long-term commitment is one of the most telling signals in this year's data. Employers are not just hiring for skill - they are hiring against attrition.

Retention: The Other Side of the Equation

The study identifies five distinct retention risks for 2026:

• Salary competition (33%)
• Young workforce job-hopping (24%)
• Career progression expectations (20%)
• Work-life balance demands (14%)
• Management capability gaps (10%)

Each requires a different mitigation strategy. A single pay increase response will not be sufficient across all cohorts.

Five Actions for Vietnam Employers in 2026

1. Resolve the Efficiency Paradox before it resolves itself. Audit your process for bottlenecks, reduce time-to-shortlist, and invest in partnerships that deliver quality over volume.

2. Benchmark compensation before you lose your next key hire. Conduct a salary review using current market data before Q2 2026.

3. Build your own mid-level pipeline. Identify high-potential junior talent and invest in structured leadership development over 18-24 months.

4. Make digital fluency a hiring criterion. Add digital competency assessment to your process and upskill existing employees before external competition does.

5. Deepen your recruitment partnerships. Brief partners thoroughly, share internal context, and move quickly on strong candidates.

Looking Ahead

In 2026, the winners will not be those who hire more. They will be those who hire smarter, faster and with clearer intent.

Ready to Strengthen Your Hiring Strategy for 2026?

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the biggest hiring challenges for employers in Vietnam in 2026?

Rising salary expectations (86%), lack of technical or specialised skills (53%), shortage of mid-level managers (39%), competition from FDI companies (29%), and language capability gaps (29%).

Which roles are hardest to fill in Vietnam right now?

Manufacturing engineers (35%), sales and business development professionals (35%), factory supervisors (33%), and IT/AI specialists (31%). These are experienced, mid-career hires - not entry-level.

What do employers look for most in candidates in 2026?

Hands-on experience (82%), long-term commitment (71%), salary alignment (61%), cultural fit (49%), and English proficiency (39%). Practical experience and commitment have displaced academic credentials.

What do employers expect from recruitment agencies in Vietnam?

80% want faster shortlisting, 69% want salary benchmarking and market intelligence, and 49% want cultural fit pre-screening. Employers expect strategic talent advisers, not just CV suppliers.

Related Articles

You may also find these useful:

• Vietnam Employers Are Hiring More in 2026 - But Struggling to Compete for the Talent They Need
• Vietnam Hiring Outlook 2026: Skills, Sectors & Salary Signals Employers Must Know
• Why Retention Will Define Vietnam's 2026 HR Agenda

Valerie Ong Regional Marketing Manager, Reeracoen Singapore Valerie leads content and market insights for Reeracoen across Southeast Asia. She works closely with Reeracoen's specialist recruitment consultants to translate hiring data, salary benchmarks and labour market trends into practical guidance for employers and professionals. Her work draws on Reeracoen's proprietary research including the annual Salary Guide, Hiring Pulse, and Hiring Manager Survey. Language note: This article is published in English. Reeracoen Singapore also publishes selected content in Japanese for our bilingual and Japanese-speaking professional community.

References

1. Reeracoen Vietnam. (2026). Vietnam Employer Hiring Study 2026. www.reeracoen.com.vn

2. Reeracoen Vietnam. (2025). Vietnam Hiring Outlook 2026. www.reeracoen.com.vn/en/blog/vietnam-hiring-outlook-2026

3. Reeracoen Vietnam. (2025). Why Retention Will Define Vietnam's 2026 HR Agenda. www.reeracoen.com.vn/en/blog/why-retention-will-define-vietnam-2026-hr-agenda