The labor shortage at Long Thanh airport remains a pressing issue.

Despite entering the peak construction phase to achieve the target of operation in 2026, the Long Thanh airport construction site is still facing significant pressure regarding personnel due to a serious shortage.

Long Thanh Airport currently has a shortage of approximately 2,390 workers. Photo: Quynh Danh.

According to the latest report from the Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV), the total direct workforce requirement for the entire project is currently around 10,000 people. However, the number of workers mobilized so far has only reached about 73% of the plan.

Specifically, the total number of direct laborers present at the construction site currently stands at approximately 6,562 out of the planned 8,952, meaning the project is still short of about 2,390 workers.

ACV stated that staffing pressure has increased amidst the simultaneous implementation of numerous key infrastructure projects in the South, particularly in Dong Nai province, such as the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway, the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh expansion project, and the component projects of Long Thanh airport.

This has led to intense competition in the construction labor market, especially for skilled workers and technical personnel.

Many contracts only achieved 25-50% of the planned staffing.

According to ACV's report, the current manpower shortage is concentrated in several large-scale projects with high construction volumes.

Most notably, for package 7.8a, only about 69 out of 275 workers have been mobilized, equivalent to about 25% of the plan, leaving a shortfall of 206 people.

Of those, the structural engineering group only met about 21% of the manpower demand, while the finishing and infrastructure group only reached about 16%.

Another contract, 7.8, has also only reached about 50% of its staffing target, having mobilized 353 out of 705 workers. Notably, the finishing and infrastructure work in this package has not yet mobilized any workers for construction.

In package 4.8, the current workforce is approximately 1,611 out of 2,593 people, equivalent to 62% of the plan, leaving a shortage of nearly 1,000 workers. Of these, the number of unskilled laborers only meets about 59% of the demand.

Package 5.10 currently employs approximately 2,026 out of 2,635 workers, achieving about 77% of the plan and lacking over 600 people. Several work groups, such as air conditioning systems, power supply, and fire protection, have not yet met the required workforce.

Furthermore, package 11.5 has only reached approximately 72% of its staffing plan, with the finishing team achieving only about 40%.

According to ACV, the labor shortage not only directly affects the ability to simultaneously deploy construction teams but also creates difficulties for internal operations, quality management, acceptance testing, and payment.

Meanwhile, some infrastructure and support packages have now essentially met their manpower requirements. Packages 4.6, 4.7, 4.9, 4.12, 5.11, and 6.12 have all reached 100% of their planned workforce mobilization.

Contractors are under pressure due to rising fuel and material prices.

Besides a shortage of personnel, contractors at Long Thanh airport are also facing significant pressure from fluctuating fuel and construction material prices.

According to ACV, there are currently about 2,500 pieces of construction equipment on the site, including excavators, bulldozers, rollers, cranes, generators, and concrete mixing plants. Fuel costs currently account for a large proportion of the operating costs of this equipment, especially for infrastructure projects that are under peak construction during the dry season.

Long Thanh Airport must begin commercial operation in 2026 as directed by the Prime Minister . Photo: Quynh Danh.

In addition, many energy-dependent materials such as asphalt, cement, and steel have also seen price increases due to rising production and transportation costs.

ACV stated that recent fluctuations in fuel prices have directly impacted contracts using fixed unit prices. If fuel price changes are not addressed promptly, contractors could face significant financial pressure.

"In reality, there has been a situation where construction has not been carried out actively, waiting for a stable supply or adjustment mechanisms from the management agency," the report stated.

Given this situation, ACV recommends that the mechanism for adjusting construction contract prices in the context of exceptional fluctuations in fuel and material prices be clarified soon.

The company also proposed that authorities improve the legal framework so that investors can proactively handle price adjustment proposals without incurring legal risks during the subsequent settlement process.

In addition, ACV recommends that the authorities in Dong Nai update the published material prices to more accurately reflect market conditions and accurately account for cost fluctuations in the Long Thanh project area.

Source: https://znews.vn/van-cang-van-de-thieu-lao-dong-o-san-bay-long-thanh-post1654520.html