Vietnam Talent Market Insights: Q2 2025 Update
July 29, 2025 - 4:00 PM
Vietnam’s recruitment market in Q2 2025 showed steady progress, although businesses remained cautious amid ongoing global economic uncertainty and evolving domestic regulations. According to data and insights gathered by Adecco Vietnam, total job opportunities slightly increased by 3% from Q1 and by 20% year-on-year, reflecting a modest but encouraging uplift in demand.
Growth was most evident in strategic sectors such as manufacturing, technology, and renewable energy, while hiring activity remained concentrated oncritical roles. Companies are increasingly focused on long-term workforce planning, with more selective hiring decisions shaped by evolving compliance standards, talent shortages, and shifts in international trade and investment flows.
Manufacturing and Engineering: Growth driven by energy transition and foreign investment
Vietnam’s role as a strategic manufacturing hub continues to strengthen, driven by ongoing geopolitical shifts and efforts by global players to diversify production beyond China. In Q2 2025, new job orders in the Manufacturing and Engineering sector rose by 15% compared to Q1 2025, and by 59% year-on-year. This growth was particularly evident among Chinese manufacturers setting up operations in Vietnam to optimise costs and reduce trade exposure.
In the North, newly established facilities showed strong demand for local leadership talent with the capabilities to build and manage operations from the ground up. At the same time, existing factories focused on reinforcing core technical functions, especially in product engineering and quality control, which together accounted for nearly 70% of job requests in the region.
The implementation of Vietnam’s updated Power Development Plan VIII (PDP8) brought renewed momentum to the Renewable Energy sector. Solar, wind, oil, and gas projects, particularly in provinces like Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, and Thanh Hoa, spurred a 62% year-on-year increase in job orders, mainly for engineering, technical design, and project development roles. While several large-scale projects are still pending final approval, recruitment has already started for approved developments, especially at early technical phases.
The Electronics industry continued to perform steadily, though some multinational firms began restructuring procurement and sourcing functions in response to global supply chain dynamics. Meanwhile, manufacturers with heavy exposure to the U.S. market are taking a more conservative stance due to uncertainty surrounding tariff enforcement under the Trump administration. Many are deferring non-essential hiring until negotiations between Vietnamese and U.S. authorities offer greater clarity.
Industrial Sales & Marketing: Modest growth driven by replacement hiring
Industrial Sales & Marketing recorded an 14% increase in job orders compared to Q1 2025, mainly from replacement needs rather than new headcount growth. Hiring demand was focused on chemicals, mechanical electrical (M&E), and building materials, aligning with ongoing infrastructure and manufacturing activities.
However, overall activity remained below the same period last year, as many companies continued to adopt a cautious approach amid uncertainty surrounding trade tariffs and export conditions, particularly in sectors with exposure to U.S. markets.
Employers are prioritising experienced B2B sales professionals who can manage technical sales cycles and key account relationships, while navigating slower project pipelines and shifting market expectations.
Technology and Financial Services: Resilient transformation amid ongoing innovation
Despite the global tech cooldown, Vietnam’s Technology sector demonstrated solid resilience. In Q2 2025, Adecco Vietnam observed a near 30% increase in job demand, with recruitment strong in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
This growth was driven by continued investment in digital transformation across banks, fintech firms, and corporates expanding their tech hubs in Vietnam. Employers are targeting top talent in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Cloud Computing, and Cybersecurity—skills increasingly critical to the development of fintech, healthtech, and logistics-tech applications. The rise of Vietnam as a regional outsourcing hub further fueled demand for Java Developers, Senior QA Engineers, and Cloud Architects, especially among companies serving international clients.
In Financial Services, hiring was more selective. Local banks continued to invest in building integrated service ecosystems, branching into areas such as digital banking, wealth management, and most recently, bancassurance. These strategic expansions reflect a broader shift toward creating end-to-end customer journeys, supported by robust digital infrastructure. While hiring remained focused—particularly in digital compliance, tech integration, and data governance—such moves underscore banks’ long-term commitment to innovation and vertical integration.
In contrast, several foreign banks scaled back their local operations in response to global performance pressures and internal restructuring efforts, leading to more conservative hiring activity.
An emerging trend this quarter was the deepening financial collaboration between Vietnam and China, particularly in areas such as cross-border payments and infrastructure financing. While still in early stages, these initiatives indicate a shift in regional financial strategy that could open new talent demands in the medium term.
FMCG & Retail: Foreign brands expand cautiously, local firms consolidate
Vietnam’s growing consumer market continues to attract foreign brands, particularly from China. Q2 saw increased market entry by Chinese firms in fashion, kids’ wear, and consumer electronics. These businesses are recruiting selectively to establish local operations but continue to face challenges recruiting mid- to senior-level Vietnamese professionals with fluent Chinese language skills.
Local retail chains, meanwhile, have entered a consolidation phase, shifting focus from rapid expansion to operational efficiency. As a result, hiring activity is centred around digital transformation initiatives, with selective demand for talent in e-commerce operations, digital marketing, and supply chain optimisation. However, total hiring volume in the sector remains moderate.
Back Office: Streamlined hiring, with growing focus on finance
Back Office hiring slowed in Q2, with job orders down 13% nationwide compared to the previous quarter. As companies optimise cost structures and reassess internal processes, hiring has become more strategic and targeted.
HR hiring remained steady, with moderate demand particularly at the mid-management level, largely supporting new manufacturing operations in the North and Central Vietnam. Legal hiring was flat, with many companies preferring to outsource legal counsel to maintain lean structures.
Finance functions, however, stood out with rising demand for professionals who go beyond traditional accounting. Roles in Financial Planning & Analysis, business controlling, and commercial finance gained traction, as organisations increasingly seek finance talent capable of delivering business insights, enabling transformation, and contributing to growth strategy.
Payroll Staffing & Outsourcing: A shift from short-term solution to long-term strategy
Outsourcing continues to gain momentum as companies across industries seek greater workforce flexibility. In Q2, Adecco Vietnam recorded a 15% increase in Payroll Staffing requests, reflecting the rising demand for flexible and compliant workforce solutions. At the same time, demand for onsite outsourced positions also rose, with the most requested roles including field engineers, sales executives, technicians, and promotional staff (PGs).
Foreign businesses without a legal entity in Vietnam are increasingly turning to payroll staffing partners to compliantly engage with the market. A notable shift is taking place in the food & beverage (F&B) industry, where major chains in Vietnam are increasingly adopting outsourced workforce models. This approach enables companies to effectively reduce labour costs, streamline operational processes, and maintain compliance with tightening labour and tax regulations.
As headcount pressures rise, outsourcing is evolving from a short-term fix into a strategic HR solution.
Q3 2025 Outlook: Steady momentum with strategic hiring focus
According to Chuong Nguyen, Head of Recruitment Business, Adecco Vietnam, the recruitment market is expected to maintain steady momentum in Q3, supported by the gradual global economic recovery, stabilisation of trade relations, and ongoing domestic reforms aimed at enhancing investment and infrastructure.
“The hiring landscape will remain strategic,” Chuong shared. “Businesses will continue to prioritise critical roles and future-ready skills, with a strong emphasis on compliance, efficiency, and resilience. Companies that invest in forward-looking workforce strategies will be best positioned to navigate the complexities of Vietnam’s evolving economic environment.”
Additionally, the official merger of certain provinces and centrally governed cities from 01 July 2025 marks a significant structural change in Vietnam’s administrative landscape. While the short-term impact on recruitment may be modest, the consolidation may affect talent mobility, local governance, and business licensing processes in the mid to long term, particularly for companies operating in newly merged areas. Employers are advised to closely monitor how these changes may influence their hiring and operational strategies moving forward.
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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
Truong Thien Kim
Associate Director, Permanent Recruitment Service, 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