Not meeting the living needs of workers
Mr. Tran Van Long - a senior worker who has worked for more than 10 years at an seafood processing company in Suoi Dau Industrial Park (Cam Lam district, Khanh Hoa) has an average income in the past 6 months of about 8 million VND/month.
According to the regulations, the minimum wage in the region that Mr. Long is receiving is region 3, equivalent to 3.86 million VND/month, and after July 1, 2025, even though the administrative boundaries are arranged, his minimum wage in this region will not change. This is also the basis for businesses to pay salaries to many workers like Mr. Long.
While the regional minimum wage has not changed, for the past 3 months, Mr. Long's family has had to listen to the announcement twice to increase the rental price from 1.2 million VND/month to 1.5 million VND/month and the electricity price for renting has also increased by about 200,000 VND/month.
"Each month, my family will increase the cost by at least 500,000 VND, not including food prices that increase when electricity and gasoline increase. I can only compensate by registering for overtime, hoping the company has a lot of work to do, even doing extra work, but I still cannot meet the basic needs, let alone accumulate sick leave," said Mr. Long.
According to the summary of the Federation of Labor of the 6 provinces in the South Central region, in the first 6 months of 2025, many union members and workers have a worried mood about wages, housing and essential goods, such as electricity prices, gasoline, high living expenses, medical examination and treatment, poor quality goods, counterfeit goods... affecting the lives of workers. Most workers in industrial parks have to rent houses, so their lives and living conditions are still difficult, and their salaries have gradually increased but have not yet met the living needs of workers...
Early increase of regional minimum wage so that workers have a basic standard of living
According to Decree No. 128/2025, dated June 11, 2025 of the Government, the determination of regional minimum wage implemented according to district-level administrative units will be transferred to determine according to the new commune-level administrative units.
In Khanh Hoa, from July 1, the regional minimum wage will be changed according to the new boundary. In which, Region II (VND4.96 million/month) includes the wards: Nha Trang, Bac Nha Trang, Tay Nha Trang, Nam Nha Trang, Bac Cam Ranh, Cam Ranh, Cam Linh, Ba Ngoi, Ninh Hoa, Dong Ninh Hoa, Hoa Thang and the communes: Nam Cam Ranh, Bac Ninh Hoa, Tan Dinh, Nam Ninh Hoa, Tay Ninh Hoa, Hoa Tri.
Region III (3.86 million VND/month) includes wards: Phan Rang, Dong Hai, Ninh Chu, Bao An, Do Vinh and communes: Dai Lanh, Tu Bong, Van Thang, Van Ninh, Van Hung, Dien Khanh, Dien Lac, Dien Dien Dien, Suoi Hiep, Dien Tho, Dien Lam, Cam Lam, Suoi Dau, Cam Hiep, Cam An, Ninh Phuoc, Phuoc Huu, Phuoc Hau, Phuoc Dinh, Ninh Hai, Xuan Hai, Vinh Hai, Thuan Bac, Cong Hai. Region IV (3.45 million VND/month) includes the remaining communes, wards and special zones.
The representative of the Trade Union of Industrial Parks - Economic Zones of Khanh Hoa province said that with the current regional minimum wage, the enterprise applies it as the Social Insurance (SI) contribution rate, so when the employee's contract is terminated, the employee's allowance is low, so it is not enough for living expenses. Currently, the average income of industrial park workers in Khanh Hoa is only about 6.3 million VND/month.
Increasing the minimum wage during this period is not only necessary but must also be one step ahead to create motivation to improve labor productivity and promote growth. Not only improving the living standard of employees in the face of actual price changes, but increasing the minimum wage is also an opportunity for employees to participate in higher-level social insurance when receiving the regime, which will help reduce some of the family's difficulties.
