How to Attract and Hire Local Talent in Vietnam
In the first quarter of 2025, Vietnam’s labor force reached 52.9 million, a massive 500,000+ increase from the previous year. Don’t miss out on this wealth of opportunity. Utilize the population of young and qualified workers as the backbone of your business in Vietnam. But how can you make sure the employees you get are the right ones? This article will guide you on the necessary steps needed to attract and hire local talent in Vietnam.
Top 5 steps for hiring local talent in Vietnam
Understand the job market
The first step is to learn Vietnam’s employment landscape from the inside out. Familiarize yourself with Vietnamese labor laws and regulations to avoid legal overstep. Be informed on current industries with emerging talent pools. In 2025, this is STEM, including AI, IT, renewable energy, fintech, and health tech. Survey how the industry you’re aiming for looks all around.
Know the local recruitment channels
Every country has online job platforms with various levels of reach and popularity. Depending on LinkedIn alone won’t pan out for the best. Here are the go-to sites that people in Vietnam use to seek employment.
Other than online platforms, partnering with local recruitment agencies or reputable headhunters can increase the chances of finding the perfect candidate for your company, especially for senior-level positions and hard-to-fill roles.
Tap into university partnerships and internship programs
Don’t limit your employee search to only graduates. In this day and age, there are a lot of university students willing to work hard for their careers. And Vietnam is no exception.
If you want to invest in the longevity of your company, then you should build partnerships with top universities like Vietnam National University, RMIT Vietnam, or HCMC University of Technology. Through them, you can attend university job fairs to promote your company and offer internships or graduate trainee programs.
Research average salary and expectations
Different cities have different minimum wages for workers. It’s best if you conduct a comparative study on each and weigh the potential return on investment. As a benchmark, it’s around 188 USD in the capital city of Hanoi. This means that Vietnam’s labor costs are lower than those of Thailand and the Philippines.
However, there is a mandatory 23.5% benefit to take into account, such as 17% social insurance. Comprehensive research ensures you can give potential employees an honest overview of job expectations and benefits.
Use an Employer of Record service
In the context of Vietnam, an Employer of Record, or EOR for short, is a third party that handles all hiring and employment responsibilities without needing an established local legal entity. The benefits of using an EOR are many, the first of which is skipping the need for registration. It also makes for faster setup, admin, and hiring time. It guarantees a low compliance risk and boasts a flexible pay-as-you-go method.
In short, an EOR manages all the legal requirements for you, skipping complex hands-on administrative duties usually required for market entry. At the cost of reducing direct control over employment relationships, EOR simplifies everything that has to do with it, a shortcut for all tasks related to your employees, hiring or otherwise.
Important things to know about hiring local talent in Vietnam
- Employment contracts in Vietnam must be written in Vietnamese. That’s why working with a legal advisor is helpful, to make sure there is no unintended miscommunication from both parties. Common mistakes include omitting mandatory clauses like working hours and benefits, or exceeding 36 months for fixed-term agreements.
- Other than company owners and short-term workers, foreigners must obtain work permits before starting employment in Vietnam.
Ready to hire in Vietnam?
Now that you know the practical steps that take you from empty company to booming business, it’s time to turn that plan into action. Work with a trusted market entry consultant and make hiring local talent a walk in the park. Double M is here to guide you with passing legal regulations and filling your company in Vietnam with skilled workers. Our recruitment services range from headhunting executives, drafting employment contracts, payroll services, and even Employer of Record.
Tap into Vietnam’s wealthy labor market by contacting Double M now.