Vietnam approves higher minimum wage and raises civil‑servant base pay

The National Wage Council met on 23 June and, based on a survey of nearly 2,000 workers in seven provinces, presented two proposals to raise the regional minimum wage for 2027. One option would increase the monthly minimum from VND 360,000 to VND 520,000 (an average rise of 9.8 %), while the alternative calls for a rise from VND 315,000 to VND 450,000 (8.5 % average). The council also suggested that the hourly minimum be derived from the monthly rate with appropriate adjustment factors.

Separately, the Vietnamese government announced that the basic salary for civil servants, public‑sector employees and armed‑forces personnel will rise from VND 2.34 million to VND 2.53 million per month starting 1 July 2026. The higher base will be multiplied by existing salary coefficients, meaning senior experts can earn up to VND 25.3 million per month, an increase of roughly VND 1.9 million. The adjustment is part of an ongoing wage‑reform programme aimed at improving living standards while balancing employer costs.

Both measures cite economic indicators such as GDP growth, CPI, and labour productivity as justification for the increases.