1.4 million of Vietnam’s youth are NEET as global figure hits 260 million in 2025

The figure highlights the difficulties young people face in finding jobs, the agency said, urging earlier career guidance and clearer education and vocational pathways. 

It also called for stronger linkages between schools and businesses to better align training with labor market demand. 

Globally, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has also warned that the global youth unemployment is estimated to rise to 12.4 percent in 2025, translating into around 260 million young people classified as NEET.

In low-income countries, the rate is projected to reach nearly 28 percent.

In its Employment and Social Trends 2026 report, the ILO forecast that the global unemployment rate would remain at 4.9 percent, equivalent to about 186 million unemployed people.

Meanwhile, employment growth in 2026 is projected at 0.5 percent in upper-middle-income countries, 1.8 percent in lower-middle-income economies, and 3.1 percent in low-income countries.

300 million workers worldwide in extreme poverty

ILO director-general Gilbert F. Houngbo noted that positive growth figures and stable unemployment rates cannot mask the reality that hundreds of millions of workers remain trapped in poverty, informal employment, and exclusion.

The ILO estimates that nearly 300 million workers worldwide are living in extreme poverty, earning less than US$3 a day.

Informal employment continues to expand and is expected to reach 2.1 billion workers by 2026, many of whom lack stable jobs, labor rights, and social security.

In low-income countries, progress in improving job quality remains slow, leaving vulnerable workers further behind.

The ILO also warned that young people continue to be among the groups most affected by artificial intelligence, particularly highly educated youth in developed countries seeking jobs in high-skill sectors.

A paradox between rich and poor countries

The ILO noted a paradox in labor markets, with developed economies grappling with population ageing and sluggish labor force growth, while low-income countries struggle to turn rapid population growth into productive employment.

Policy uncertainty in global trade and supply chain disruptions are putting pressure on wages, particularly in Europe and Asia, including Vietnam, the organization said.

Despite these challenges, trade continues to support the livelihoods of about 465 million workers worldwide, more than half of whom are in the Asia-Pacific region.

Looking ahead, the ILO urged governments and businesses to expand job opportunities for women and young people while pursuing policies to boost labor productivity, including investment in skills, education, infrastructure, and technology.

It also called on countries to pay greater attention to risks stemming from public debt, artificial intelligence, and trade uncertainty.