- Vietnam records a 47% Net Employment Outlook (NEO) for Q2 2026, ranking 3rd in the APME region and 4th among 42 global markets.
- Employers in seven of nine sectors expect to increase staffing levels in the second quarter, led by the Construction & Real Estate sector.
- Company growth is the primary driver behind the anticipated increase in hiring for Q2. In contrast, expected staffing reductions are mainly linked to process optimization and automation.
- 87% employers in Vietnam report using AI in hiring, onboarding, or training, with the strongest ROI in talent acquisition (22%).
- Employers identify Idea & Creativity, Technical Expertise, and Training as the skills already or most likely to be augmented by AI in the next 12 months.
VIETNAM (10 MARCH 2026) – Employers in Vietnam report an optimistic hiring outlook for the second quarter of 2026, with a Net Employment Outlook (NEO) at +47% in the country’s inaugural edition of the ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey. Vietnam is above the global average of +31% and higher than the Asia Pacific and Middle East (APME) regional average of +38%.
The latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey, conducted from January 1 to February 3, 2026, gathered insights from more than 41,700 employers across 42 countries and territories. Among the 260 employers surveyed in Vietnam, 63% expect to expand their workforce in Q2 2026, 21% plan to maintain current staffing levels, and 16% anticipate a decrease in headcount.
“Hiring activity in Vietnam reflects both ongoing business expansion and the drive for greater operational efficiency,” said Nguyen Thu Trang, Head of Manpower, Manpower Vietnam. “Organizations are adding new roles to support growth while also reshaping parts of their workforce as emerging technologies streamline operations. Despite these simultaneous shifts, overall sentiment about the coming months remains positive.”
Key Hiring Insights
- 52% of employers in Vietnam cite company growth as the primary reason for increasing headcount, mirroring a broader global trend where business expansion is also the main driver of hiring. This factor is even more pronounced in Northern Vietnam, where 61% of employers attribute their staffing increases to growth, highlighting stronger expansion led hiring pressure in that market.
- For employers expecting staffing cuts in Q2, the main drivers are role consolidation from process improvements (56%) and automation reducing certain positions (44%). These two factors are most evident in companies with over 1,000 employees, where workforce changes are more often tied to enterprise-wide redesign than short-term volatility.
Key Sector Insights
- Hiring demand is strong in Vietnam, with employers in seven of nine sectors planning to increase staffing levels in the second quarter.
- The Construction & Real Estate sector leads the market with an NEO of 64% - surpassing the sector's global outlook by 30 percentage points. Within the sector, 75% of companies expect to increase headcount, reflecting rising demand for skilled talent as Vietnam accelerates major infrastructure projects, urban planning initiatives, and new city developments in the coming years.
- In the Trade & Logistics sector, particularly, 42% of employers anticipate increasing staffing while an equal 42% expect to decrease hiring, resulting in a NEO of 0%.
AI Adoption and Workforce Trends
Beyond hiring intentions, the survey also examined how employers are using AI across their workforce strategies, finding widespread adoption nationwide.
- Employers in Vietnam continue to integrate AI into workforce processes and are seeing clear, measurable gains. Only 5% report no ROI – compared with 11% across APME and 16% globally – highlighting Vietnam’s practical and results-driven approach to AI deployment.
- 87% of employers in Vietnam already use AI in hiring, onboarding, or training new staff. Notably, one-fifth (20%) say AI fully meets their expectations in these areas, well above the APME rate (10%) and the global average (8%).
- Areas showing the strongest ROI include Talent Acquisition and Scheduling & Forecasting, both at 22%. Learning & Development (19%) and Team Performance (19%) follow. Talent Acquisition shows particularly strong returns among employers in Southern Vietnam.
- Privacy and regulatory concerns (17%), workers’ lack of AI skills (15%) and insufficient company training (13%) remain key considerations as adoption expands.
“Data shows that AI is reshaping a wide range of job functions in Vietnam, influencing how ideas & creativity and technical expertise are supported in the workplace.” Trang Nguyen noted. “As businesses recognize these shifts, preparing for what comes next is essential. Strengthening digital skills, addressing data privacy concerns, and ensuring workers have ongoing training will help organizations and employees benefit from the full value of AI and move forward with confidence.”
To explore hiring trends of Vietnam in detail, view the full Q2 2026 ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey at visit: https://www.manpower.com.vn/en/insights/meos/2026
The next survey will be released in June 2026 and will report hiring expectations for Q3 2026.
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ABOUT THE SURVEY
The ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey, now in its 64th year, is the most comprehensive, forward-looking employment survey of its kind, used globally as a key labor market indicator. The Net Employment Outlook (NEO) is derived by taking the percentage of employers anticipating an increase in hiring activity and subtracting from this the percentage of employers expecting a decrease in hiring activity.
SURVEY METHODOLOGY
The data for the second quarter was collected between January 1 and February 3, 2026, prior to geopolitical developments that began across the Middle East in late February. The findings reflect employer sentiment at the time of data collection and may not capture the potential impact of subsequent events. Size of organization and sector are standardized across all countries and territories to allow international comparisons.
ABOUT THE INDUSTRY SECTORS
ManpowerGroup has introduced an updated industry sector classification to ensure our insights more closely reflect today’s global economy. Beginning with this release, data will be reported across nine sectors: Construction & Real Estate; Finance & Insurance; Hospitality; Information; Manufacturing; Professional, Scientific & Technical Services; Public Sector, Health & Social Services; Utilities & Natural Resources; and Trade & Logistics. Historical data has been reclassified to maintain consistency over time, and national and regional results remain unchanged. This update enhances comparability with other research and ensures greater relevance for clients, media, and market stakeholders.
Tech & IT Services is a specialty sector that combines subsectors across Manufacturing, Information, and Professional Services to provide a holistic view of all aspects relating to IT and telecoms. Automotive is a specialty sector that combines subsectors across Manufacturing and Trade & Logistics to provide a holistic view of all aspects relating to the automotive value chain.
ABOUT MANPOWERGROUP
ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN), the leading global workforce solutions company, helps organizations transform in a fast-changing world of work by sourcing, assessing, developing, and managing the talent that enables them to win. We develop innovative solutions for hundreds of thousands of organizations every year, providing them with skilled talent while finding meaningful, sustainable employment for millions of people across a wide range of industries and skills. Our expert family of brands – Manpower, Experis, and Talent Solutions – creates substantially more value for candidates and clients across more than 70 countries and territories and has done so for more than 75 years. We are recognized consistently as a best place to work for Women, Inclusion, Equality, and Disability, and in 2025 ManpowerGroup was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the 16th time; all confirming our position as the brand of choice for in-demand talent.
For more information, visit www.manpowergroup.com, or follow us on LinkedIn, and Facebook.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This report contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding labor demand in certain regions, countries and industries, and economic uncertainty. Actual events or results may differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, due to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. These factors include those found in the Company's reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the information under the heading "Risk Factors" in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, whose information is incorporated herein by reference. ManpowerGroup disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking or other statements in this release, except as required by law.
Media Contact
Thao Phan
Marketing and PR Executive
Manpower Vietnam
D: +84 962 598 494
