Prime Minister: Proposing to increase salaries from the beginning of 2026

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the need to increase revenue and save expenditure to have funds to propose to competent authorities to decide on salary and allowance increases from the beginning of 2026.

At the regular October Government meeting held today (November 8), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that the biggest goal is to stabilize the macro economy , control inflation, promote growth, and ensure major balances of the economy. This is both a goal, a driving force, and a resource for development. If achieved, it will lead to high, rapid, and sustainable growth.

Ministers, heads of sectors, and Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and cities need to proactively and actively perform tasks according to their functions, tasks, and powers to achieve this goal and take measures to overcome the limitations, shortcomings, and challenges that have been pointed out.

One of the key tasks emphasized by the Prime Minister is to focus on cultural and social development, ensuring social security, and improving people's lives. In particular, increasing revenue and saving expenditure to have funds to propose to competent authorities to decide on increasing salaries, allowances, and subsidies from the beginning of 2026.

Along with that, the Prime Minister directed to focus on starting construction of nearly 100 boarding and semi-boarding schools in border communes; reclaiming clean land, and assigning projects to build social housing.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh . (Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac)

Previously, at the discussion session on the socio-economic situation held on the morning of October 29, National Assembly delegate Mai Van Hai (Thanh Hoa delegation) emphasized the need to develop a salary policy appropriate to the job position. According to Mr. Hai, there should be a salary policy for the team of communal cadres and civil servants so that they can feel secure in their work.

"The Government needs to soon direct the issuance of regulations on evaluating civil servants based on work results, have a mechanism to screen officials, and be ready to replace officials who do not meet the requirements of the task," Mr. Hai commented.

Mr. Hai also emphasized that salary reform must be linked to institutional improvement and staff quality improvement. According to him, the two-tier government model is a profound reform, helping to streamline the organization, reduce staff, and improve operational efficiency, but also poses new requirements on remuneration policies for public servants.

“ The government needs to quickly identify job positions, develop salary and allowance policies, and evaluate officials based on work results. That is a prerequisite for the new model to truly operate effectively,” said Mr. Hai.

The report of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, synthesizing voters' opinions, clearly shows that the lives of a number of cadres, civil servants, public employees, and workers in the state sector still face many difficulties.

Especially after the process of streamlining staff and merging localities while prices and living costs are increasing.

Sharing the same view, delegate Tran Quoc Tuan (Vinh Long delegation) also proposed that the National Assembly consider adjusting the basic salary increase from January 1, 2026, not waiting until mid-year like previous years.

According to him, only when officials have enough to live can they feel secure in their service, and civil servants who do not have to worry about "bread and butter" can they feel at ease in their dedication.

Mr. Tuan also said that according to the summary of voters' petitions sent to this session, many localities such as Quang Tri, Binh Thuan, and Vinh Long reported that after merging administrative units, commune officials had to travel further while travel and public service allowances had not been adjusted.

Voters in Nghe An, Lam Dong, and Dong Thap provinces also requested policies to support the merged areas, because the cost of living, renting houses, and traveling increased, causing real income to decrease by 10-12% compared to before.

Besides, the basic salary of 2.34 million VND/month applied from July 1, 2024 to now is no longer suitable for the current cost of living.

On average, the minimum living expenses in urban areas alone exceed 4.5 - 5 million VND/person/month. The lives of a number of officials, civil servants and workers in the state sector are still difficult, while the cost of living is increasing.

He compared that with the current basic salary, many young civil servants can only get by from the beginning of the month until the 20th day, and for the last 10 days of the month they have to... "run on faith and instant noodles".

According to the Government's report and the National Assembly Committees' review report, the average CPI in the first 9 months of 2025 increased by about 3.27% compared to the same period last year. Prices of many essential goods such as food, housing, electricity, water, tuition, gasoline and rent have all increased. This puts great pressure on people's lives.

In particular, the actual income of cadres, civil servants and public employees has been significantly affected because the basic salary has not been adjusted accordingly. Meanwhile, living and travel expenses have increased after the reorganization of the two-level local government apparatus.

Although it has not reached an alarming level, it has directly affected the income of public servants, who shoulder the work of the people. Their income is shrinking day by day.

Chau Anh

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/thu-tuong-de-xuat-tang-luong-ngay-tu-dau-nam-2026-ar986026.html