Improve income, ensure workers' lives

Adjusting the regional minimum wage increase contributes to meeting expectations of income improvement and ensuring workers' lives.

On November 10, 2025, the Government issued Decree 293/2025/ND-CP stipulating new regional minimum wages applicable from January 1, 2026. The adjustment to increase regional minimum wages contributes to meeting expectations of improving income and ensuring workers' lives in the context of continuing rising living costs.

Workers are excited

At Trang Due Industrial Park (An Phong Ward), Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan, 32 years old, a worker at an electronic components manufacturing enterprise, shared that she learned about the salary increase as soon as the union posted it in the internal group. “Just a few hundred thousand dong more each month would help my family reduce stress because of rent and children's school fees. In fact, in the past two years, prices have increased but salaries have not changed much, making it difficult for workers. Therefore, everyone was happy to receive the information about the salary increase,” Ms. Lan said excitedly.

Many workers also believe that increasing the minimum wage is not only about income but also a positive signal of concern for workers' lives. Ms. Pham Thi Huong has been working at Brother Vietnam Industrial Co., Ltd. in Phuc Dien Industrial Park for nearly 10 years. Currently, her average income is about 11 million VND/month. When she learned that the Government issued a Decree to increase the regional minimum wage for workers under labor contracts from January 1, 2026, Ms. Huong was very happy.

According to Ms. Huong, the increase in the new regional minimum wage will help her income increase by about 400 VND/month. The 2026 salary agreement between workers and businesses will certainly also increase because businesses use the current regional minimum wage 2 as the basis for calculating salaries for workers. "The regional minimum wage increases, the social insurance contribution rate also increases, the long-term benefits are also better, the lives of workers will certainly improve," Ms. Huong said.

Not only workers, many business owners in the area also expressed their agreement, although they admitted that they would face cost pressure. Mr. Dao Dinh Du, Director of Viet Tri Garment Joint Stock Company (Hai Hung Commune), said that increasing the minimum wage is an inevitable trend to ensure the health and life of workers. Mr. Du said: "We understand that if we want to retain workers, we must pay attention to their income. This adjustment is reasonable. However, businesses also have to recalculate costs, because labor costs account for a large proportion."

According to Mr. Du, many small and medium-sized enterprises will face difficulties if there is no synchronous solution: "We hope to receive support in terms of taxes, labor training, or preferential capital policies so as not to be "overwhelmed" when implementing the new salary level. In the long term, enterprises still have to innovate technology and improve labor productivity to offset costs."

Spending pressure remains high for workers

At Sumidenso Vietnam Co., Ltd. (Dai An Industrial Park), female workers account for about 70% of the total of more than 11,000 union members.

According to Decree 293/2025/ND-CP, from January 1, 2026, the regional minimum wage will increase from VND 250,000 - 350,000/month compared to the current minimum wage. In particular, the regional minimum wage used as the basis for calculating salaries for employees will officially apply from January 1, 2026, as follows: Region 1 is VND 5,310,000/month; Region 2 is VND 4,730,000/month; Region 3 is VND 4,140,000/month; Region 4 is VND 3,700,000/month.

Although excited about the policy of increasing the regional minimum wage, many workers also expressed concern about the increase in living expenses and expenses. Ms. Mac Thuy Hang, an employee of USI Co., Ltd., 100% invested by Taiwan (China) in Dinh Vu Industrial Park, said that the minimum wage has increased but the prices of accommodation, gasoline and essential services continue to fluctuate, causing many workers' families to have to tighten their spending.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Dung, a worker at a garment company in Lai Vu Industrial Park who is currently renting a house, said that although it is not time to increase the regional minimum wage, in recent days, many traditional markets have seen an increase in prices of many items. The biggest increase is in the food group: meat, fish, vegetables, etc. "Everyone is happy to see a salary increase, but if the salary increases by 1 dong, the price of goods also increases by 1 dong, or even more, the spending pressure on workers is still very high," Ms. Dung shared.

Due to the impact of the market, the demand for spending and shopping at the end of the year increases, which more or less affects the prices of some goods, causing the spending pressure of workers to remain high. However, the policy of increasing the regional minimum wage is an act of concern of the Government for workers and is a motivation for workers to feel secure and actively work and produce.

According to Mr. Bui Quoc Trinh, Deputy Director of the Department of Home Affairs, the increase in regional minimum wages from 2026 will contribute to ensuring the minimum living standards of workers and their families. This adjustment is not only based on minimum living needs, but also on economic growth, labor productivity and the ability of enterprises to pay. According to Mr. Trinh, in the coming time, the department will strengthen inspection and guidance for enterprises to comply with regulations. Closely monitor the implementation of the wage regime of enterprises to ensure the legitimate rights of workers.

Although there are still many challenges and pressures when increasing the regional minimum wage, with the consensus of all parties, the strong participation of management agencies and the efforts of enterprises, the policy of increasing the regional minimum wage is expected to create positive changes, improve income, ensure the lives of workers, and contribute to consolidating high-quality human resources for the Port City in the new development stage.

HA VY

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/cai-thien-thu-nhap-bao-dam-doi-song-nguoi-lao-dong-528599.html