Hai Phong businesses struggle to find workers at year-end

Recruitment demand sharply increases

To fulfill year-end orders, Regina Miracle International Vietnam Co., Ltd. in VSIP Industrial Park needs to recruit 2,000 sewing workers, 200 molding workers, 100 quality inspectors, 50 position-specific quality inspectors, and 200 workers for other positions. The company is also hiring team leaders, sewing quality control supervisors, and staff for various departments, bringing its total recruitment demand across these positions to 2,660 people.

A representative of the company's Human Resources and Administration Department said that, with year-end orders increasing, the company had stepped up recruitment through various channels, including job fairs. However, the number of workers hired still falls short of its needs.

Similarly, MAPLE Co., Ltd. in VSIP Industrial Park needs nearly 1,000 workers to serve the year-end market but is facing difficulties recruiting general laborers. Despite offering a minimum monthly income of VND 9 million, productivity bonuses, 14 days of annual leave, and a modern working environment, the company has yet to recruit enough workers.

Demand is also high in the electronics industry, not just garment manufacturing. At a mass recruitment event jointly organized by the Hai Phong Employment Service Center and participating businesses, Heesung Electronics Vietnam Co., Ltd. and several other companies reported a combined need for approximately 5,000 workers.

Higher benefits fail to meet recruitment needs

According to the Trade Union of Tongwei Vietnam Electronics Co., Ltd., the company needs to recruit more than 200 workers as it expands production and secures abundant orders through 2027. To attract workers, it offers various benefits, including seniority bonuses and rental assistance. However, recruitment remains difficult due to a labor shortage.

At An Duong Industrial Park, Horn Vietnam Co., Ltd. is also short of approximately 300 workers. To attract applicants, the company offers various benefits, including attendance bonuses, travel allowances, and rental assistance. Employees are also eligible for Chinese-language allowances, production and performance bonuses. Despite these incentives, the company has yet to recruit enough workers to meet its needs.

According to data from the Hai Phong Statistics Office, the city held 96 job fairs in the first nine months of 2026, attracting 931 business participations. Recruitment demand reached approximately 298,003 worker placements, up 14.02% from the same period in 2025, while worker participation increased by 2.68%. However, the number of workers participating met only around 52.42% of businesses' recruitment demand.

The situation shows that labor shortages are no longer a short-term problem but a long-term challenge for both businesses and local authorities. Alongside immediate measures, efforts are needed to raise incomes, improve working conditions, and create a stable, humane working environment to attract and retain workers.

Recently, the Hai Phong Economic Zone Authority organized a seminar titled “Solutions to Attract and Develop a Sustainable Workforce for Businesses in Hai Phong's Industrial Parks and Economic Zones in 2026 – 2030.” At the seminar, representatives of businesses and labor supply agencies shared their difficulties in workforce recruitment, training, and retention. Ensuring that workers can maintain a stable livelihood and remain with their employers over the long term was a key concern for many participants.

To retain workers, businesses proposed expanding support for workers' housing, developing childcare facilities in areas with high concentrations of businesses, and improving accommodation services, employee transportation, and other essential living conditions.

HA VY