Workers' monthly income rises to $300 in Q3

Certain localities saw stronger growth, with Hanoi reporting a 6.6% increase to VND10.7 million and Nam Dinh Province, a 5.7% rise. Some provinces such as Son La, Cao Bang and Lang Son saw decreases of 3.5-7.8%. In urban areas, workers earned VND9.3 million on average, 30% more than in rural areas.

Some sectors saw significant increases: the rise was 12.7% for real estate, 10.3% for finance, banking and insurance and 6.7% for manufacturing. The average income in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector fell by 2.9% to VND4.3 million.

The income growth in the third quarter was primarily driven by the wage hike that was made on July 1, which increased the minimum monthly and hourly salaries of workers by 6%.

The labor market expanded to 51.6 million, up 114,600 from the second quarter, and the number of unemployed people of working age decreased by 22,200 to 1.05 million.

The average consumer price index for the first six half of the year rose by 3.48% year-on-year, with medicines and medical and food and beverage services seeing rises of 8.24% and 3.98%. But fuel and telecommunications declined by 7.7% and 0.74%.