Businesses pay basic wages higher than regional minimum wages
Decree 293/2025/ND-CP stipulates the regional minimum wage (MW) for employees working under labor contracts. Accordingly, from January 1, 2026, the monthly minimum wage in 4 regions will increase compared to the current level, specifically as follows: Region I: increase of 350,000 VND, from 4,960,000 VND/month to 5,310,000 VND/month; Region II: increase of 320,000 VND, from 4,410,000 VND/month to 4,730,000 VND/month; Region III: increase of 280,000 VND from 3,860,000 VND/month to 4,140,000 VND/month; Region IV: increase of 250,000 VND from 3,450,000 VND/month to 3,700,000 VND/month.
Talking to reporters, Ms. Le Thi Toan (a garment worker in Bac Ninh province) really wants to have her salary increased right from the beginning of 2026: "Currently, the business where I work has paid a salary higher than the regional minimum wage. I hope that when the regional minimum wage increases, my basic salary will be adjusted to increase further by the business so that I have a higher income and better guarantee of my life.
Mr. Nguyen Manh Hung - Chairman of the grassroots Trade Union of Ha Bac Export Garment Joint Stock Company (Bac Ninh province) - said that currently, the lowest basic salary for workers in the company is 4,984,000 VND/month and from January 1, 2026, the lowest is 5,345,000 VND (higher than the regional minimum wage level II (4,730,000 VND). Thus, the company is implementing a basic salary higher than the regional minimum wage currently applied in the company's foothold.
Meanwhile, Ms. Nguyen Thi Y (a worker working in Thang Long Industrial Park, Hanoi City) said that after 10 years of working, she currently has a basic salary of 10 million VND; total income is 12 million VND. “Some years, when the regional minimum wage increases, businesses will adjust the basic salary to increase accordingly from the beginning of next year. I hope that in 2026 the business will continue to increase salaries, from which my income will increase, improving a part of the lives of workers like me,” Ms. Nguyen Thi Y expressed.
Mr. Le Dinh Quang - an expert on labor - trade union, former member of the National Wage Council - said that the time to adjust the regional minimum wage from before to now is usually from January 1, minus 2 times (2022 and 2024) is from July 1 due to socio-economic conditions, especially the time of impact of the COVID-19 epidemic.
Mr. Quang said that the increase in the base salary from January 1 will facilitate businesses in proactively planning production and business, building unit prices and salaries for the whole year. However, the disadvantage is that if the increase is from January 1, it will often coincide with the Lunar New Year. Thus, businesses must adjust bonuses, salaries for the Lunar New Year and the minimum wage at the same time, which will increase pressure on businesses.
From the perspective of workers, according to Mr. Le Dinh Quang, increasing the minimum wage from January 1st will create more motivation for workers, thereby they will have a better working spirit, attached to the business...
After a year of working, workers see their salaries increase next year, especially right from the first day of the new year, then they will definitely be excited and have better motivation to work with higher productivity, quality, and efficiency. They also expect to continue working even better so that next year they will have higher salaries and incomes than last year," Mr. Le Dinh Quang analyzed.
According to labor and trade union experts, when the minimum wage increases, most workers' salaries are increased. However, Mr. Quang said that there are cases where when workers' salaries are high, the increase may be low or income is not increased, but at least their social insurance contributions will increase, so in general, workers are still benefiting in the long term.
Grassroots trade unions actively participate with employers
The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor has just issued an official dispatch on the Trade Union implementing Decree No. 293/2025/ND-CP dated November 10, 2025 of the Government.
Accordingly, the Presidium of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor requested the Provincial and City Labor Federations, Central Sector Trade Unions, Economic Group Trade Unions, and General Corporation Trade Unions directly under the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor to focus on performing a number of tasks, including propagating and disseminating the content of Decree No. 293/2025/ND-CP to union members, workers and grassroots trade unions to implement in accordance with regulations.
Along with that, directing grassroots trade unions to actively participate with employers in the process of building and adjusting the salary scale of enterprises according to the new regulations in Decree No. 293/2025/ND-CP. Regularly monitor and grasp the situation, synthesize opinions and legitimate aspirations of union members and workers, review labor standards and conditions to proactively propose dialogue and negotiation with employers to establish agreements on salaries and other labor conditions to meet the legitimate requirements of workers.
In addition, strengthen coordination with functional agencies in the area to participate in inspecting, examining, and supervising the compliance with labor laws, trade unions, social insurance... of enterprises, especially the implementation of Decree No. 293/2025/ND-CP of the Government and propose timely handling of violations of enterprises...
