Vietnam Recruitment Market Update H1 2026
July 31, 2026 - 2:00 PM
Vietnam's recruitment market showed resilience in H1 2026 despite ongoing global economic and geopolitical uncertainty. While overall job orders were broadly flat year-on-year, employers continued to invest in strategic and business-critical roles that support growth, operational efficiency, digital transformation, and governance. Manufacturing & Engineering, Supply Chain, and Technology were among the strongest hiring sectors, supported by solid economic fundamentals and record foreign investment. Vietnam attracted USD34.65 billion in registered FDI in the first six months of 2026, up 61% year-on-year, while disbursed FDI reached a five-year high of USD13.03 billion1.
Hiring activity accelerated in Q2, with Adecco recording a 32% increase in job requests compared with Q1, reflecting improving business confidence as companies adapted to market conditions. However, demand remained concentrated in leadership and specialist roles. Talent availability continued to be a challenge, with Adecco reporting a 13% decline in candidate applications versus H1 2025. Competition was particularly intense for AI/GenAI professionals, Data and Cloud specialists, Cybersecurity experts, Semiconductor engineers, and other highly skilled technical talent.
Manufacturing and Engineering: FDI-led growth drives demand
Manufacturing & Engineering emerged as the strongest growth sector in H1 2026, with Adecco recording a 70% increase in job orders year-on-year. Growth was driven by manufacturing expansion, supply chain transformation, and continued investment in advanced manufacturing. Demand was strongest for engineering, operations, supply chain, procurement, quality, and plant leadership talent, particularly within electronics, industrial, and high-tech manufacturing environments. Meanwhile, demand for Sales & Marketing talent across B2B sectors remained stable. However, hiring processes became more cautious and often longer as companies placed greater emphasis on productivity, business impact, and return on investment before approving new headcount.
Digitalisation, automation, and manufacturing excellence continued to shape hiring priorities. Companies increasingly sought professionals who could lead process improvement and technology adoption, making digital and automation capabilities key differentiators. Talent shortages remained most evident in engineering, semiconductor, automation, and leadership roles, where demand continued to outpace supply.
Consumer Heath & Retail: Dermocosmetics driving growth
Dermatology and dermocosmetics market continued to outperform the broader healthcare sector in H1 2026, driven by growing skincare awareness, rising demand for science-backed products, and the expansion of pharmacy chains, clinics, and e-commerce channels. With the market forecast to grow by more than 10% annually2, companies continued to invest in commercial, marketing, and market expansion capabilities, driving demand for experienced leadership talent across both traditional and digital channels.
Hiring in this sector in the North increased by 21% in H1 2026 compared with the same period last year. As brands accelerated their omnichannel strategies, demand remained strong for commercial and marketing talent with experience across pharmacies, modern trade, e-commerce, and clinic channels. E-commerce and social commerce, particularly TikTok Shop, continued to be major growth drivers, increasing demand for Digital Marketing, E-commerce, CRM, and D2C specialists. At the same time, AI adoption across marketing and consumer engagement created growing opportunities for commercially driven leaders with strong digital and data capabilities.
Technology & Financial Services: Strategic hiring focused on high-impact talent
Hiring across both Technology and Financial Services remained focused on critical business and revenue-generating functions in H1 2026. Despite a more disciplined hiring environment, Adecco recorded a 44% increase in job orders across these two sectors compared with H1 2025, reflecting continued investment in digital transformation, AI adoption, banking expansion, and strategic growth initiatives. In the Technology sector, demand centred on AI, GenAI, Data, Cloud, Cybersecurity, and Semiconductor talent as organisations accelerated digital transformation and AI adoption.
Within Financial Services, hiring activity was driven by corporate banking expansion, wealth management growth, regulatory requirements, and digital banking initiatives. Corporate Banking Sales, Relationship Management, Private Banking, Risk Management, Compliance, and FDI Banking were among the most sought-after functions. Demand for Chinese- and Japanese-speaking bankers also remained strong as financial institutions expanded services to multinational and foreign-invested clients.
Workforce flexibility and compliance drive growth
Payroll, Staffing & Outsourcing market continued to experience strong demand in H1 2026 as businesses balanced growth ambitions with cost efficiency and workforce agility. Demand was particularly active across manufacturing, logistics, FMCG, and technology sectors, where companies sought scalable workforce solutions while managing compliance and operational risks.
Clients increasingly looked for integrated solutions combining payroll administration, labour contract management, recruitment support, and HR outsourcing services. Meanwhile, growing adoption of cloud-based payroll systems, electronic labour contracts, employee self-service platforms, and automated compliance reporting continued to reshape the market. Organisations are placing greater value on providers that can combine compliance expertise with technology-enabled workforce solutions.
H2 Outlook - Strategic hiring and workforce flexibility to drive business growth
"We expect hiring demand to remain resilient in H2 2026, supported by continued FDI investment, digital transformation initiatives, and business expansion across key sectors. However, employers are becoming increasingly selective, remain particularly strong for professionals in AI, technology, engineering, supply chain, financial services, and commercial leadership roles, while talent shortages in these areas are likely to persist.", said by Nguyen Hoang Thanh Chuong, Head of Recruitment Business, Adecco Vietnam.
At the same time, demand for staffing and outsourcing solutions is expected to remain strong as businesses continue to balance growth ambitions with cost efficiency and workforce agility. Manufacturing expansion, workforce mobility, and increasing compliance requirements are expected to drive further adoption of outsourced workforce solutions, particularly across manufacturing, logistics, FMCG, and technology sectors. Technology-enabled payroll, staffing, and HR outsourcing services are also expected to gain further traction as organisations seek greater flexibility and operational efficiency in an evolving labour market.
1 National Statistics Office and Vietnam Investment Review
2 https://www.thereportcubes.com/report-store/dermocosmetics-market-vietnam
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Contact our experts:
Nguyen Hoang Thanh Chuong
Head of Permanent Recruitment Service, Adecco Vietnam
Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong
Director, Permanent Recruitment Service, Adecco Vietnam
Nguyen Huu Hai
Associate Director, Manufacturing & Industrials, Adecco Vietnam
Disclaimer: The figures presented in this article, such as percentages or job volumes, are derived from our actual job activities with clients and candidates across a range of industries and sectors. These figures may vary due to factors such as investment plans or local talent supply. However, they do not represent data specific to any individual company or organization. For more information, please contact us at vn.info@adecco.com.
About Adecco Vietnam
Established in Vietnam in 2011, Adecco Vietnam – a member of The Adecco Group - is the leading Payroll, Recruitment & Outsourcing Agency in Vietnam. We provide one-stop solutions for all Human Resources needs. Operating for more than 60 years, The Adecco Group has 39,000+ passionate employees in 5,000+ branches across 60 countries and territories worldwide.
Website: adecco.com/en-vn