Clearly differentiate
According to the report on the status and trends of the implementation of unemployment insurance policies associated with job creation issued by the Hanoi Employment Service Center, the period 2019-2024 recorded an important achievement of the capital's economy, which is the significant and continuous improvement in employee income.
The average monthly income has shown an impressive growth trend over the years, with an estimated figure of 10.94 trillion VND in 2024. This growth, even when adjusted according to inflation, is a positive indicator, showing that the overall standard of living of workers has been significantly improved, reflecting the results of the economic recovery and development process.
However, behind the bright overall picture are increasingly clear differentiations, showing that the benefits from economic growth have not been evenly distributed.
According to the Hanoi Employment Service Center, one of the most inherent and profound barriers is gender difference. The persistent reality in the Hanoi labor market shows that the income of male workers is always significantly higher than that of female workers. This situation is clearly demonstrated through the figures of 2023, when the income gap between the two sexes reached more than 3 million VND/month.
This gap not only reflects the difference in career choice, but is also the result of invisible barriers and social prejudices that still exist, making it difficult for female workers to take on management positions, jobs that require high qualifications with good income and promotion opportunities, said Mr. Vu Quang Thanh - Deputy Director of the Hanoi Employment Service Center.
The gap between urban and rural areas
The report of the Hanoi Employment Service Center also shows that, in addition to gender differentiation, Hanoi also differentiates deeply in geography, creating a large gap in living standards between urban and rural areas.
In fact, economic activities with high added value, concentrating large enterprises, FDI projects and high-quality services, are mainly concentrated in the central urban area. This inevitably leads to the fact that the average income in urban areas is always superior to that in rural areas. The figures for 2023 show that the gap between the two regions is up to nearly 3 million VND. This distance is the main economic driving force that creates urban migration flows, putting increasing pressure on infrastructure and social services in the central area.
The third differentiation is the distance between economic regions. The Hanoi labor market is existing in a "double-speed world": on one side are workers working in foreign-invested enterprises (FDI), state-owned enterprises and organized private enterprises, with high and stable income; on the other side are workers working in agricultural, forestry and fishery farms, individual businesses and the informal economic sector, with a much lower income, usually only one half compared to the leading group.
According to the Hanoi Employment Service Center, these multidimensional differences are not only a pure economic problem but also lead to many profound social consequences. The increased gap between rich and poor can lead to social differentiation, reduce social cohesion and pose a potential risk of instability. In particular, the lack of coverage of the social security system for a large number of low-income workers has caused them to fall into a state of "dual harm" - both having unstable income and lacking a support when facing shocks such as illness, accident or unemployment.
