In Vietnam, workers leave jobs to study Chinese for higher-paying roles

According to them, foreign direct investment (FDI) companies are seeking candidates with language skills, with some positions offering salaries reported to be 30-50 percent higher.

Oanh, 28, who previously worked as a quality manager earning VND13-14 million (US$514 -554) a month resigned in September 2025 to focus on studying Chinese.

She attends two hours of classes daily from Monday to Saturday and spends additional time translating documents, watching videos, and practicing speaking with teachers and native speakers.

“I spent a month thinking it through and consulting friends. I missed many opportunities in the past because I didn’t know a foreign language, so I was determined to study," Oanh said.

“Next, I plan to learn English as well, for Chinese companies often recruit bilingual Chinese-English candidates."

Workers leave jobs to invest in language skills

Oanh is not alone. Nguyen Thi Vui, 36, also left her job at an FDI company at the end of 2025, despite the timing close to the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, to study Chinese.

As a mother of three young children, Vui is busy throughout the day.

She can only begin studying around 9:00 or 10:00 pm, sometimes continuing until 2:00 am the next day.

“I take advantage of the time when my children are asleep to do homework and practice listening and speaking," she said.

“Chinese has become a passion for me, especially being able to communicate without relying on an interpreter.

“My goal is to reach at least HSK Level 4."

A former HR manager, Vui said her limited foreign language skills meant she relied on interpreters when discussing detailed work with her supervisor.

She said she was hesitant to start at 36 but encouraged younger people without family responsibilities to invest time in study.

She also reminds herself, “If I truly make the effort and become competent, opportunities will come.”

Language centers in industrial zones are reporting increased demand.

Ngo Thi Dung, training manager at Ha Ninh Language Center in Yen Phong Industrial Zone, northern Bac Ninh Province, said new enrollments in 2025 rose about 20 percent year on year, driven mainly by demand for higher income and career advancement.

According to Dung, after 6-8 months of study, learners can be recruited by FDI enterprises, particularly during peak hiring periods in March and September.

Candidates with prior experience in foreign companies, combined with language skills, are often prioritized for interviews and can negotiate salaries 30-50 percent higher, as they require less retraining and adapt more quickly.

FDI enterprises increase demand for foreign language skills

In an interview with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, Vu Tien Thanh, deputy director of the Bac Ninh Job Service Center, said several companies are expanding recruitment, including Goertek Vina (120,000 positions), Fukang Technology (60,000), Luxshare-ICT (40,000), and Newwing Interconnect Technology (12,000).

He said the electrical and electronics sector accounts for nearly 70 percent of the labor demand, followed by textiles and garments (around 13 percent) and processing and manufacturing (over seven percent). Of this, 87 percent of the positions are for unskilled workers.

The remainder require university degrees (nearly six percent), college degrees (three percent), vocational training (over two percent), and basic training (over one percent).

Training institutions in the province currently supply more than 20,000 workers annually, meeting only about 30 percent of demand.

The wage gap between those with and without Chinese language skills clearly demonstrates the value of foreign languages.

According to Thanh, unskilled workers at Chinese enterprises earn VND9-12 million ($340-460) per month, but those with Chinese proficiency and relevant skills can earn VND18-20 million ($690-770).

This is because company owners and managers are Chinese, and equipment and production lines are imported from China, which gives direct communication without interpreters the upper hand.

“We often advise workers receiving unemployment benefits to use their job-search period to take basic foreign language courses, so they can secure better jobs when re-entering the labor market,” Thanh noted.

From a broader macroeconomic perspective, Thai Thu Xuong, permanent vice-president of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, stated that foreign language training, soft skills development, and short-term on-site training programs in enterprises and industrial zones are key solutions for addressing workforce skill shortages.

“Labor unions at all levels will continue to promote and encourage members to improve their foreign language proficiency, including English, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese,” Xuong stated.