Vietnam Sees Strong Hiring Intentions in Q4 2026

The latest recruitment trend survey by ManpowerGroup Vietnam reveals that hiring intentions in Vietnam are set to significantly increase in the fourth quarter of 2026. Fifty-two percent of surveyed companies plan to expand their workforce, an 8-point increase from the previous quarter, projecting a Net Employment Outlook (NEO) of 36%. Expansion of business operations continues to be the primary driver for recruitment needs, while automation is cited as a key reason for planned workforce reductions. The information and communication sector leads with the highest NEO at 64%. Strongest hiring demand is observed in the northern region and among companies with 50-249 employees. Vietnamese firms are increasing recruitment of entry-level talent compared to 2025, particularly for technical, AI, IT, and data-related positions. However, not all companies are experiencing an improved recruitment pace compared to 2025. Talent shortages and the gap between candidate expectations and job requirements are the main factors affecting recruitment speed. Notably, Vietnam's net employment outlook is higher than the regional average for Asia-Pacific and Middle East (APME) and the global average, with NEOs of 33% and 29%, respectively. Vietnam ranks third in the APME region and eleventh among 42 surveyed markets globally. While business expansion is the main driver for hiring, automation is the most frequently cited reason for planned recruitment reductions among companies intending to downsize. This reason was given by 52% of companies in this group, more than double the average in the APME region (24%) and globally (22%), indicating the growing impact of automation on human resource planning and skill requirements in Vietnam. Additionally, two out of five companies in this group cited concerns about economic challenges as a reason for reducing hiring. The survey, conducted from July 1 to July 31, 2026, collected opinions from nearly 40,000 businesses across 42 countries and territories. In Vietnam, out of 285 surveyed businesses, 52% expect to increase hiring, 16% expect to decrease hiring, and 32% plan to maintain their current workforce size. Nguyen Thu Trang, Brand Director at Manpower, Manpower Vietnam, shared, "While hiring demand in Vietnam remains positive due to many companies' expansion plans, the approach to recruitment is becoming more strategic. As automation transforms operational methods and worker skill requirements, companies are prioritizing positions that can directly drive productivity, innovation, and sustainable growth, rather than solely focusing on increasing headcount." AI presents both a driver and a challenge in recruitment. While the application of AI technologies and tools greatly aids recruitment, shortening hiring time remains a challenge for many organizations. Specifically, the proportion of companies in Vietnam reporting faster hiring times (42%) is nearly equal to those reporting slower times (40%). Talent shortages continue to be a significant barrier to recruitment activities. About half of the companies cite a lack of candidates—both in terms of insufficient numbers of suitably skilled applicants and limited availability of candidates meeting recruitment requirements in the market—as the primary reason for prolonged recruitment processes. Another challenge stems from the gap between candidate expectations and job requirements (43%). STEM fields, particularly the information and communication sector, are seeing a significant increase in entry-level hiring. 77% of companies in the information and communication sector are expanding recruitment of this group to meet the growing demand for emerging tech skills. Specifically, engineering (48%), AI model development and application (37%), and IT and data (37%) are among the positions where entry-level talent is being increasingly recruited. Source: Nhan Dan