Labor shortage again at the beginning of the year: Many job openings, but very few job seekers.

Although the rate of workers returning to factories after the Lunar New Year holiday is very high, many companies are struggling with the problem of finding staff due to the need to open new production lines and increased orders.

Street vendors are also complaining about slow business as workers are already scarce and are cutting back on spending - Photo: C. TRIEU

A tour around industrial zones in Ho Chi Minh City such as Vinh Loc, Tan Binh, and Tan Tao reveals numerous companies simultaneously displaying recruitment signs. Some need a few dozen to a few hundred workers, while others are hiring up to several thousand.

But contrary to the enthusiastic recruitment information, the number of people who actually need and are looking for jobs is quite small, even sparse.

Simultaneous recruitment of workers

A stroll around the streets of Tan Tao Industrial Park (Binh Tan District) in mid-February will reveal numerous companies across various industries displaying recruitment signs.

Right in front of the gate of Trung Son Food Joint Stock Company, a large sign is displayed advertising for general laborers.

Nearby, Nguyen Phat Industrial and Commercial Production Joint Stock Company is also urgently seeking five sales staff and four mechanical maintenance staff with at least a secondary education level. In addition, they need 10 weavers, 20 sewing machine operators, five mechanics, 10 warehouse/truck assistants, and 50 general laborers. General laborers will receive a salary of 7-10 million VND/month, while salaries for other positions are negotiable.

The situation is similar at a number of companies in the Vinh Loc Industrial Park (Binh Tan District and Binh Chanh District). Among them, Monova Food Ingredients Joint Stock Company is recruiting production workers, preferably male, with the requirement that they be 40 years old or younger, working in shifts, with negotiable salaries and bonuses on occasions such as April 30th, October 20th, September 2nd, New Year's Day, and Lunar New Year.

Meanwhile, Thai Tuan Group Joint Stock Company is looking for 100 sewing workers, 10 line inspectors, 10 ironing workers, two sewing machine maintenance technicians, and two sewing line technicians. Visingpack Packaging Industry Co., Ltd., located not far away, is also looking for 50 general laborers, with the promise of "immediate employment after interview, high salary".

Many companies in Tan Binh Industrial Park also need more workers. Nam Thien Co., Ltd. announced recruitment for garment workers with a salary of 10-15 million VND/month, while NOCH Asia Co., Ltd. urgently wants to recruit 50 general laborers...

Numerous job postings with clear information are displayed in front of company gates, but only a handful of people inquire about or apply for the positions - Photo: C. TRIEU

Good working conditions and decent wages for workers, but...

A recruitment officer at Vina Foods Kyoei Co., Ltd. (Vinh Loc Industrial Park) stated that the company needs approximately 30 general laborers after the Lunar New Year. The requirements are not too high, only requiring applicants to be 18 years old or older, have graduated from junior high school or higher, be quick-witted and diligent. Benefits include lunch, overtime meals, transportation allowance, attendance bonus, housing, childcare, and full insurance coverage (social insurance, health insurance, unemployment insurance).

The company promised regular annual salary increases (income of 9-11 million VND/month) and year-end bonuses. However, after half a month, only a few applicants had applied, less than 35% of the target. Even though the company offered a bonus of 500,000 VND per person for the first 15 applicants, valid until March and payable after a one-month probationary period, it was still ineffective.

Mr. Lam Gia An - from the recruitment department of Trung Son Food Joint Stock Company (Tan Tao Industrial Park) - said that in an effort to quickly recruit enough new workers to meet the target of 200, the company is offering many excellent benefits. Specifically, they provide housing support, lunch, overtime meals, and full insurance coverage.

In addition, employees are guaranteed full benefits and support from the labor union, gifts for holidays, birthdays, weddings, a 13th-month salary, and company trips . The company's announced income ranges from 7-15 million VND/month, including basic salary, performance-based pay, allowances, and bonuses (attendance, productivity, quality, seniority, etc.).

Despite his best efforts to attract candidates with attractive benefits and salaries, Mr. An said he has only managed to recruit less than 100 people (less than 50% of his target). And all the new recruits were referred by existing employees at the company. "This recruitment period is harder than in previous years; hardly anyone came to apply on their own. Perhaps many are looking for overseas employment, others are staying in their hometowns to be closer to their families, or starting their own businesses," Mr. An explained. (to be continued)

Pou Yuen is recruiting 3,650 workers simultaneously.

A representative from Pou Yuen Vietnam Co., Ltd. (Tan Tao Industrial Park) stated that they are currently recruiting up to 3,650 workers. The majority are unskilled laborers for various production stages and areas within the company.

Area A (sewing, shaping, screen printing, image printing) needs the most with 1,400 new workers, while Area B (cutting, sewing and shaping), Area D (operating pressing machines, spray painting), and Area K (sole processing, shaping, and printing) need 450-750 workers each. The mold workshop is the least hiring, with only 50 people.

The company representative said that recruitment is still ongoing. However, they are facing difficulties in meeting their recruitment targets from the beginning of the year, while "workers are quitting every month."

The business environment has not improved significantly.

According to the socio -economic report for January 2025 from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Planning and Investment, the business environment in Ho Chi Minh City has not seen positive changes. The number of businesses entering the market decreased by 7.5%, while the number of businesses withdrawing from the market increased by 14.6% compared to the same period last year.

Similarly, in the first half of January, Ho Chi Minh City granted licenses to 1,802 businesses with a total registered capital of VND 10,393 billion (a decrease of 45.4% in the number of licenses and a decrease of 73.4% in capital compared to the same period last year). During this month, Ho Chi Minh City created jobs for 27,352 people (9.2% of the annual plan), added 12,751 new jobs (9.1% of the annual plan), and sent 666 workers abroad, mainly to Japan and Taiwan, focusing on food processing, packaging, and nursing.

In other news, in December 2024, the city received 8,034 applications for unemployment benefits and issued decisions granting unemployment benefits to 7,496 people.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/dau-nam-lai-thieu-cong-nhan-tuyen-nhieu-nguoi-tim-viec-khong-bao-nhieu-20250222091906924.htm