Vietnam’s hiring demand expected to surge in Q2, led by construction, property sector

The latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey, conducted between January 1 and February 3, found Vietnam’s net employment outlook at 47 percent.

This figure is significantly higher than the global average of 31 percent and the Asia-Pacific and Middle East average of 38 percent.

The survey gathered responses from more than 41,700 employers across 42 countries and territories.

Among the 260 employers surveyed in Vietnam, 63 percent expect to expand their workforce in the second quarter, 21 percent plan to maintain current staffing levels, and 16 percent anticipate a headcount decrease.

Nguyen Thu Trang, head of manpower at Manpower Vietnam, said the hiring outlook in the country reflects both ongoing business expansion and the drive for greater operational efficiency as emerging technologies streamline operations.

“Despite these simultaneous shifts, overall sentiment about the coming months remains positive,” she added.

Expansion is the primary driver of hiring, with 52 percent of the employers citing company growth as the reason for an increasing headcount.

The trend is especially strong in northern Vietnam, where 61 percent of the firms reported expansion pressures.

Conversely, companies planning to cut jobs pointed to process streamlining (56 percent) and automation reducing demand for certain roles (44 percent).

Large enterprises with more than 1,000 employees are most likely to restructure.

The construction and real estate sector stands out with a net employment outlook of 64 percent, surpassing the sector's global outlook by 30 percentage points.

In fact, 75 percent of the firms in this industry plan to recruit more staff in the next three months, reflecting rising demand for skilled talent as Vietnam accelerates major infrastructure projects, urban planning initiatives, and new city developments in the years to come.

Other sectors such as trade and logistics show mixed signals, with equal shares of companies planning to hire and reduce staff, leaving the net employment outlook at zero percent.

The survey also explored how artificial intelligence is shaping workforce strategies.

AI adoption in Vietnam is widespread, with 87 percent of the companies using it in recruitment, onboarding, or training.

Notably, twenty percent said AI fully meets their expectations in these areas, well above the Asia Pacific and Middle East rate of 10 percent and the global average of eight percent.

Areas showing the strongest returns on investment include talent acquisition and scheduling and forecasting, both at 22 percent, followed by training and team performance at 19 percent.

However, challenges remain, including concerns over privacy and legal issues (17 percent), a shortage of AI-skilled workers (15 percent), and insufficient company training (13 percent).

Trang asserted that AI is reshaping job roles in Vietnam, supporting creativity and technical expertise.

She added that improving digital skills, strengthening data security, and continuous training will help both organizations and employees maximize AI’s value.