Implementing the 2-level local government model, the Government Steering Committee allows localities to temporarily extend the use of non-specialized commune-level personnel until before May 31, 2026.
Non-specialized forces at the commune level when they end their activities are entitled to allowances according to Decree No. 154/2025/ND-CP on streamlining staff.
For many people, the prescribed allowance is considered "capital bait" to start over, but there are also many cases waiting for this support source to realize the plan.
Ms. Pham Thi Lan (name changed, 63 years old, Ninh Binh) was previously Vice Chairman of the Commune Women's Union, with more than 20 years of attachment to women's work in the commune, but the time she was socially insured was only 8 years.
Ms. Lan received an allowance of nearly 40 million VND, of which, an allowance based on the number of years of service is nearly 32 million VND, and a job search allowance is nearly 8 million VND according to Decree 154/2025/ND-CP.
Because she is past retirement age, her allowance is much lower than in other cases. She considers this an important source of capital to start a new job.
Taking advantage of not having to rent premises, she decided to import vegetables, tubers, and fruits to sell at the market. The initial cost was only more than 10 million VND, the rest was kept by her as revolving capital.
Each day, the income ranges from 100,000-200,000 VND, averaging about 5 million VND/month - nearly double the salary before quitting.
Having more income, I feel more secure. At this age, having income is also a joy, the feeling that I can still do work," Ms. Lan said.
According to Ms. Lan, when activities end for non-specialized commune-level workers, career change becomes a significant challenge, especially for older people like her or those who lack professional skills suitable for the labor market.
Thanks to the allowance money, she no longer has to worry too much about spending in daily life.
Mr. Tran Van Tien (29 years old, the person requesting a change of name, Thanh Hoa), formerly Deputy Secretary of the commune with a working time of 3.5 years, said that he had been notified of a subsidy level of about 88 million VND according to the statistics table. However, so far he has not received this amount of money.
My plan is to open a food store because I really like cooking. But all plans are "stagnant" because I don't have capital yet. Not only me, many others are also anxiously waiting," Mr. Tien shared.
While waiting, Mr. Tien applied to work as a worker at a company near his house with an income of about 9 million VND/month. Although it is enough to cover his family's immediate life, he still considers this only a temporary solution.
The allowance is not only financial support but also recognition of the contributions of non-specialized commune-level officials. We hope to be paid soon to stabilize our lives and have a long-term direction," he said.
