According to the Hanoi Employment Service Center, the labor market at the end of 2025 will have a shift in job search demand from the group of technical/machinery and equipment operating industries to the group of general laborers, office administration staff and managers at all levels.
Accordingly, the group "assemblers, machinery and equipment operators" is the group with the highest job search demand in the third quarter of 2025 (38.10%) but has decreased by nearly half in the fourth quarter of 2025, down to 20.79%. Going in the opposite direction is a significant increase in the group "simple labor" and "office assistants" (both account for over 19% of workers' job search demand).
The leadership and management group has a sudden increase in job search demand in proportion, more than doubling from 3.98% (Q3) to 9.19% (Q4). This reflects the fluctuation of senior personnel or the need to change the working environment of the management team during the finalization and preparation for the new year.
In particular, according to the Hanoi Employment Service Center, the level of labor supply in the fourth quarter of 2025 continued to improve, with the proportion of job seekers with university degrees increasing sharply to 25.46%. Meanwhile, the group without training decreased to 39.87%.
However, this trend creates a noteworthy mismatch with the actual needs of businesses. While the supply of university-educated workers is more abundant, employers in the quarter sharply reduced demand for this level and increased the search for skilled workers from colleges and intermediate schools," said a representative of the Hanoi Employment Service Center.
In addition, the job search market in the fourth quarter of 2025 witnessed a clear "rejuvenation" when the age structure had an important reversal. The youngest and most dynamic labor group, 25-34 years old, still accounted for the largest proportion with 45.97%. Conversely, the middle-aged labor group 35-54 years old decreased in proportion to 41.08%.
Employee income expectations have also improved significantly in the fourth quarter, reflecting greater confidence and awareness of the value of labor. The proportion of job seekers accepting the common salary of 5-10 million VND/month has decreased significantly (to 76.11%). Instead, expectations shifted strongly to higher salaries.
Specifically, the group expects a salary of 10-20 million VND/month to increase from 13.92% to 21.93%. This change not only reflects the increase in living expenses but also shows that workers are increasingly demanding higher benefits, commensurate with their skills and professional qualifications.
