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Workforce Adaptation and Labor Market Reforms in Post-COVID-19 Southeastern Vietnam

Khue Dinh Pham1, Phuc The Nguyen2
1Hanoi Architectural University, Vietnam
2University of Sciences, Hue University, Vietnam
DOI: https://doi.org/10.70517/revcc2624168
Published: 15/10/2026
: Khue Dinh Pham, Phuc The Nguyen. Workforce Adaptation and Labor Market Reforms in Post-COVID-19 Southeastern Vietnam. Revista Cultura Científica, 2026 Issue 24. pg. 2020-2033.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted employment, industrial production, worker mobility, and livelihoods in Southeastern Vietnam, the country’s major industrial and service-producing region. This study examines the relationship between labour-market disruption, workforce adaptation, and government policy responses, using descriptive and comparative analysis of published labour statistics, official resolutions, and relevant scholarly research, primarily for 2020–2022. It distinguishes employment and income losses from labour-force participation, enterprise-reported shortages, and longer-term recruitment difficulties. Official data for the third quarter of 2021 indicate that 59.1% of workers in the Southeast experienced adverse employment effects, the labour-force participation rate declined to 62.8%, and 30.6% of surveyed enterprises reported worker shortages. Sectoral shortages were particularly pronounced in electronics-related manufacturing, leather-related production, apparel, and other industrial activities. Rather than treating these results as equivalent indicators of a single skills deficit, the study interprets them in relation to interrupted production, worker mobility, income insecurity, and possible mismatches between employer requirements and workforce availability. The analysis distinguishes emergency assistance under Resolutions No. 68/NQ-CP and 116/NQ-CP from safe-adaptation measures under Resolution No. 128/NQ-CP, economic recovery measures under Resolution No. 11/NQ-CP and National Assembly Resolution No. 43/2022/QH15, and longer-term regional priorities under Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW. It finds that the secondary evidence supports a diagnosis of overlapping labour-market pressures but does not permit causal attribution of recovery outcomes to individual policies. The study recommends strengthening interprovincial labour-market information, enterprise-linked vocational and digital training, affordable worker housing, social protection, and policy evaluation. It concludes that sustainable workforce recovery requires coordinated action addressing both firms’ production requirements and workers’ ability to maintain stable employment.

Keywords: labour market, COVID-19, workforce development, Southeastern Vietnam, economic recovery

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted employment, industrial production, worker mobility, and livelihoods in Southeastern Vietnam, the country’s major industrial and service-producing region. This study examines the relationship between labour-market disruption, workforce adaptation, and government policy responses, using descriptive and comparative analysis of published labour statistics, official resolutions, and relevant scholarly research, primarily for 2020–2022. It distinguishes employment and income losses from labour-force participation, enterprise-reported shortages, and longer-term recruitment difficulties. Official data for the third quarter of 2021 indicate that 59.1% of workers in the Southeast experienced adverse employment effects, the labour-force participation rate declined to 62.8%, and 30.6% of surveyed enterprises reported worker shortages. Sectoral shortages were particularly pronounced in electronics-related manufacturing, leather-related production, apparel, and other industrial activities. Rather than treating these results as equivalent indicators of a single skills deficit, the study interprets them in relation to interrupted production, worker mobility, income insecurity, and possible mismatches between employer requirements and workforce availability. The analysis distinguishes emergency assistance under Resolutions No. 68/NQ-CP and 116/NQ-CP from safe-adaptation measures under Resolution No. 128/NQ-CP, economic recovery measures under Resolution No. 11/NQ-CP and National Assembly Resolution No. 43/2022/QH15, and longer-term regional priorities under Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW. It finds that the secondary evidence supports a diagnosis of overlapping labour-market pressures but does not permit causal attribution of recovery outcomes to individual policies. The study recommends strengthening interprovincial labour-market information, enterprise-linked vocational and digital training, affordable worker housing, social protection, and policy evaluation. It concludes that sustainable workforce recovery requires coordinated action addressing both firms’ production requirements and workers’ ability to maintain stable employment.

Keywords: labour market, COVID-19, workforce development, Southeastern Vietnam, economic recovery

References

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  14. General Statistics Office of Vietnam. “Report on the COVID-19 Impacts on Labour and Employment Situation in the Third Quarter of 2021.” 12 October 2021. https://www.nso.gov.vn/en/data-and-statistics/2021/10/report-on-the-covid-19-impacts-on-labour-and-employment-situation-in-the-third-quarter-of-2021/.

  15. Government of Viet Nam. “Resolution No. 68/NQ-CP: Policies to Support Employees and Employers Facing Difficulties Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.” 1 July 2021. https://chinhphu.vn/default.aspx?docid=203480&pageid=27160.

  16. Government of Viet Nam. “Resolution No. 116/NQ-CP on Support for Employees and Employers from the Unemployment Insurance Fund.” 24 September 2021. https://baochinhphu.vn/chi-dao-dieu-hanh-cua-chinh-phu-thu-tuong-chinh-phu-noi-bat-tuan-tu-27-9-1-10-2021-102301475.htm. [Government portal explanation of the resolution; bibliographic title translated into English.]

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  18. Government of Viet Nam. “Resolution No. 11/NQ-CP on the Programme for Socio-Economic Recovery and Development and Implementation of Resolution No. 43/2022/QH15.” 30 January 2022. https://congbao.chinhphu.vn/van-ban-dang-cong-bao/nghi-quyet-l6/trang-89.htm.

  19. National Assembly of Viet Nam. “Resolution No. 43/2022/QH15 on Fiscal and Monetary Policies to Support the Socio-Economic Recovery and Development Programme.” 11 January 2022. https://vbpl.vn/TW/Pages/vbpq-toanvan.aspx?ItemID=159097.

  20. Politburo of the Communist Party of Viet Nam. “Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW on Socio-Economic Development and National Defence and Security in the Southeast Region to 2030, with a Vision to 2045.” 7 October 2022. https://xaydungchinhsach.chinhphu.vn/toan-van-nghi-quyet-24-nq-tw-cua-bo-chinh-tri-ve-phat-trien-ktxh-vung-dong-nam-bo-119221022225448428.htm.

Khue Dinh Pham
Hanoi Architectural University, Vietnam
Phuc The Nguyen
University of Sciences, Hue University, Vietnam
ntphuckh@hueuni.edu.vn

How to cite:

Khue Dinh Pham, Phuc The Nguyen. Workforce Adaptation and Labor Market Reforms in Post-COVID-19 Southeastern Vietnam. Revista Cultura Científica, 2026 Issue 24. pg. 2020-2033.

Publication History

  • Received: 03/03/2026
  • Accepted: 28/09/2026
  • Published: 15/10/2026
Copyright © 2026, Khue Dinh Pham, Phuc The Nguyen. Published by Revista Cultura Científica. This article is published as open access under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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