Vietnam is expected to experience rising demand for skilled workers in various sectors in the second quarter of 2025, especially in manufacturing, as part of a broader hiring surge across the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, according to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey.

The survey, which collected responses from over 10,000 employers across seven APAC countries and territories, reports a robust net employment outlook of 30 percent for the second quarter, up three points from both the previous quarter and the same period last year.

In Vietnam, ManpowerGroup, a global permanent recruitment, staffing and outsourcing company, expects recruitment activity to pick up pace, particularly in the industrials & materials sector, with manufacturing accounting for 38 percent of hiring needs, followed by financials & real estate, consumer goods & services, and IT.

The most significant recruitment demand since the start of the year has come from businesses in manufacturing, said Vo Thi Bich Thuy, regional manager for permanent recruitment and consulting services for southern Vietnam at ManpowerGroup Vietnam.

While tech roles are growing in demand, companies are shifting their focus toward experienced professionals who can lead digital transformation projects. 

Meanwhile, the demand for young professionals or fresh graduates in IT has declined.

“Businesses are evaluating market conditions and economic indicators before deciding to increase their headcount, prioritizing upskilling and reskilling their current workforce over hiring new employees," Nguyen Thi Thu Thanh, regional manager for permanent recruitment and consulting services for northern Vietnam at ManpowerGroup Vietnam, explained.

Experts at ManpowerGroup Vietnam urged companies to plan strategically for the long term.

“Companies should develop strategies for a 3-5-year period, focusing on building internal talent rather than relying on external sources. As market competition intensifies, recruitment becomes increasingly challenging, especially when it's hard to find talent with the skills they need,” they advised.

Across APAC, the survey attributes staffing increases primarily to company expansion (42 percent), new business ventures (33 percent), and technological advancements (31 percent). 

Regional initiatives, including China’s AI investment fund and Singapore’s New Enterprise Compute Initiative, are also fueling tech-driven hiring.

“These efforts underscore the region’s drive toward technological leadership, even amid economic challenges, solidifying APAC’s position as a hub of resilience and opportunity,” said François Lançon, regional president for the Asia Pacific and Middle East at ManpowerGroup.

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