KEY FINDINGS
CHAPTER 9: LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
9.2. Employment
9.2.2. Structure of the employed population by economic sector
There has been significant industry restructuring in Viet Nam toward increasing the proportion of labor in industry, construction, and services sectors. This rate is expected to reach the 70%
threshold in the near future as stated in Resolution No. 23/NQ-TW dated 22 March 2018 of the Politburo on the orientation to formulate national industrial development policies to 2030, with a vision to 2045. Gender factor and wealth gaps remarkably affect the labor economic sector.
Among the 21 one-digit economic activities, "Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery" still had the largest proportion of labor (35.3%), followed by "Manufacturing" (20.4%), and "Wholesale and Retail Trade; repairing automobiles, motors, motorbikes and other motor vehicles” (13.5%).
Table 9.5: Structure of employed laborers by sex and one-digit economic activity
Unit: % Total Male Female Proportion
of female
TOTAL 100.0 100.0 100.0 47.3
A. Agriculture, forestry and fishery 35.3 34.7 36.0 48.2
B. Mining and quarrying 0.3 0.5 0.1 19.7
C. Manufacturing 20.4 18.0 23.2 53.5
D. Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply 0.3 0.5 0.1 17.7
76.9
60.7
84.4
4.7 4.0 3.8 6.2 5.5 5.4 4.0 3.4 3.0
10.6
22.2
5.2 0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Entire country Urban Rural
No qualification Primary Intermediate College
University and higher 76.9
60.7
84.4
4.7 4.0 3.8 6.2 5.5 5.4 4.0 3.4
3.0 10.6
22.2
5.2 0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
ENTIRE COUNTRY Urban Rural
No qualification Primary Intermediate College
University and higher
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of female E. Water supply; sewage, waste management and
remediation activities 0.3 0.3 0.2 40.3
F. Construction 7.9 13.6 1.5 9.0
G. Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles
and motorcycles 13.5 11.4 15.9 55.3
H. Transportation and storage 3.7 6.2 0.8 10.7
I. Accommodation and food service activities 5.5 3.7 7.5 64.9
J. Information and communication 0.6 0.8 0.5 35.8
K. Financial and insurance activities 0.9 0.8 1 54.8
L. Real estate activities 0.6 0.6 0.6 46
M. Professional, scientific and technical activities 0.5 0.6 0.3 32.4 N. Administrative and support service activities 0.7 0.8 0.5 37.5 O. Public administration and defense;
compulsory social security 2.0 2.4 1.5 35.3
P. Education 3.6 1.8 5.7 74.1
Q. Health and social work 1.1 0.8 1.4 62.7
R. Arts, entertainment and recreation 0.5 0.5 0.5 49.9
S. Other service activities 1.9 1.9 1.9 47.4
T. Services of households as employers; 0.4 0.1 0.8 89.6
U. Activities of international organizations and agencies 0.0 0.0 0.0 52.5
From 2009-2019, the proportion of employment by economic sector shifted positively toward reducing the proportion of labor in the “Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishery” sector and increasing employment in the “Industry,” “Construction” and “Services” sectors. The proportion of employed labor in the “Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishery” sector continually decreased from 53.9% in 2009 to 46.3% in 2014, and 35.3% in 2019. In 2019, for the first time, the number of employees working in the service sector was higher than the number working in the “Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishery”
sector. Government policies to draw investment and industrial development and to encourage start-up enterprises in recent years created positive shifts in various economic sectors. With the current rate of labor restructuring, it will be possible to reach or exceed the objective of Resolution No.
23/NQ-TW dated 22 March 2018 of the Politburo on the orientation to formulate national industrial development policies to 2030, with a vision to 2045: "By 2030, the proportion of labor working in the industry and service sector will reach over 70%".
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Table 9.6: Proportion of employed workers by economic sector, 2009-2019
Unit: %
2009 2014 2018 2019
TOTAL 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishery 53.9 46.3 37.7 35.3
Industry and Construction 20.3 21.4 26.7 29.2
Services 25.8 32.3 35.6 35.5
The sex disparity was relatively evident in various economic sectors. "Mining",
"Construction", and "Transportation and Storage" mainly drew male laborers; the proportion of women working in these fields accounted for less than 20%. By contrast, the proportion of women working in the "Education and Training", "Health and Social Assistance Activities",
"Accommodation and Food Services", and "Domestic Employment Activities in Households"
sectors accounted for over 60% of the total number of workers in these fields.
Up to 63.6% of laborers working in the “Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishery” sector belonged to the poor or poorest quintile, while the proportion of the rich or richest quintiles working in
“Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishery” was less than 18%. In contrast, the majority of those working in the “Service” sector were in the rich or richest quintile, accounting for 57.2%. The proportion of the rich and richest quintiles working in the “Service” sector was 2.4 times higher than the poor and poorest quintiles.
Figure 9.7: Proportion of laborers working in three economic sectors by living standard quintile
Unit: %
38.7
11.9 9.1
24.9
24.6
14.7 18.9
24.7
19.0 12.4
22.2
24.8
5.1 16.6
32.4
Agriculture, forestry and fishery Industry and construction Services
Poorest Poor Medium Rich Richest
38.7
9.1 24.9
24.6
14.7 18.9
24.7
19.0 12.4
22.2
24.8 5.1
16.6
32.4
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Agriculture, forestry and fishery
11.9
Services
Poorest Poor Medium Rich Richest
Industry and construction
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Unskilled employment continued to account for a significant share of the economy, though very few people in the richest quintile did these jobs.
The results of the 2019 Census showed that elementary labor continued to hold the highest rate of the labor force in the economy at 33.2%. However, the proportion of elementary laborers sharply decreased in the last decade (down 7.1 percentage points). Three groups of occupations, including "Service workers, security guards, and market sales workers", "Craftsmen and other related workers". and "Plant/machine operator and assemblers" also drew large numbers of workers with corresponding rates of 18.3%, 14.5%, and 13.2% of the total number of employed workers.
Among nine occupation groups, the lowest proportion was in the “Leaders, managers and administrators of sectors, levels, and organizations” group with 0.8%. Almost all laborers in the
“Leaders, managers and administrators of sectors, levels, and organizations” were trained with technical qualifications, (91.4%). Females faced more disadvantages than males; the proportion of male “Leaders, managers and administrators of sectors, levels, and organizations” was 2.4 times higher than females (1.2% compared to 0.5%).
Table 9.7: Proportion of employed workers by sex and occupation
Unit: % Total Male Female Proportion
of female
TOTAL 100.0 100.0 100.0 47.3
1. Leaders, managers and administrators
of sectors, levels, and organizations 0.8 1.2 0.5 27.3
2. Professionals 7.5 6.4 8.9 55.6
3. Technicians and associate professionals 2.8 2.3 3.4 56.6
4. Clerks 1.8 1.7 1.9 51.5
5. Service workers, security guards, and
market sales workers 18.3 13.8 23.2 60.0
6. Skilled laborers in agriculture, forestry,
and fishery 7.9 9.7 5.9 35.3
7. Craftsmen and other related workers 14.5 20.3 7.9 25.8
8. Plant/machine operators and assemblers 13.2 13.6 12.7 45.6
9. Elementary/simple laborers 33.2 31.0 35.6 50.9
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The majority of people in the rich and richest quintiles worked in occupational groups with highly technical requirements. The proportion of workers in the rich or richest quintiles that worked as “Leaders", " Professionals", and " Technicians and associate professionals" constituted 83.5%, 80.1%, and 65.8%, respectively. Very few workers in the poorest quintile worked in occupations that required high-skill levels (only about 5%).
Those in the poorest or poor quintile mainly worked in the "Elementary laborers" or "Skilled laborers in agriculture, forestry, and fishery" sectors. There were more than 60 people in the poor and poorest groups for every 100 employees working in these two occupational groups. The richest quintile in these two occupation groups accounted for just 5.7%. There was a minimal difference in the rich and poor level of labors working in “Service workers, security guards, and market sales workers”, “Craftsmen and other related workers” and “Plant/machine operator and assemblers"
sectors.
Figure 9.8: Proportion of employed labor by living standard quintile and occupation
Unit: %