Vietnam has an emerging economy and is one of the “rising stars” in overseas destinations. Many people in the European and American countries have been unemployed for years and can easily move overseas to Vietnam to find stable jobs for a long time.
Every year, hundreds of companies are established, thus promoting the country’s economic development, as well as creating jobs. And over the past 10 year, number of foreigners coming to Vietnam to work has been increasing rapidly. Now, let’s find out why you should come to Vietnam for a permanent job through the following article!
1. Many job opportunities for foreigners in Vietnam
Vietnam has become a popular recruitment market for other countries. A large number of foreigners come to Vietnam to find a better job which is suitable with their level. In addition, many overseas jobs in Vietnam attract the attention of foreigners.
As a developing economy, there are many jobs for foreigners in Vietnam. Foreign workers are mainly in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, but there are many jobs for foreigners in smaller towns. The fields attracting foreigners include the IT, construction and tourism industries. However, a large number of foreigners come to Vietnam and work as English teachers in schools, language center, and non-governmental organizations, especially in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Foreigners working in Vietnam can maintain the quality of their lives as they do in their hometowns. In addition, there are more professions in other fields such as construction, technology, tourism, and science. By learning to speak a little Vietnamese, you have the opportunity to cooperate well with your Vietnamese colleagues and increase your leisure time when exploring Vietnam.
It is known that Vietnam is lacking in highly qualified labor, so foreigners come to Vietnam to find a job that seems to be a factor narrowing the gap in certain areas. In some areas of public relations, labor from the Philippines, Indians, and Westerners came to Vietnam to work.
Most foreigners who come to Vietnam choose to teach English. Most language centers and school systems in Vietnam prefer to hire native teachers to improve the quality of education in Vietnam, especially in linguistic development. Vietnamese is the official language of the country, and Vietnamese are influenced by Confucianism, so the education is also affected by these traditions. However, Vietnam is in the process of integration, the international exchange is necessary. Many opportunities for teaching and learning for foreigners are created. Foreigners teaching in Vietnam are usually paid between US $15 and US $25 per hour in some areas such as linguistics and technical training. However, if you are a teacher in Vietnam, you have to travel a lot. Teaching in Vietnam is not only common in big cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City but also in other provinces, even in remote areas.
In addition to working as an English teacher in Vietnam, foreigners can find jobs in other fields such as the senior staff of large corporations, private enterprises, or Foreign investment capital. Many foreigners work in the fields of business development and sales. The reason for Vietnamese companies to hire foreign employees is the good quality of English as well as the working style of foreigners. At present, most of the partners of companies in Vietnam are foreigners. Therefore, when negotiating for cooperation, officials like foreigners will be much more successful than Vietnamese in the same position. Job vacancies in the tourism and construction sectors are interesting jobs in Vietnam for foreigners because they require highly skilled professionals. Salaries of foreigners in these areas range from US $ 10,000 to US $30,000, depending on qualifications. Although the payments are relatively low in comparison with their country, they can have a good, even luxury life in Vietnam.
You can search for jobs by checking classified ads in local newspapers, job sites, or by contacting an employer. You can also seek assistance from foreign trade offices in Vietnam.
Many industries love hiring foreigners for a variety of reasons, such as lack of skills in the local labor market, promising faces for the development of the company, and the ability to work with companies/international investors. If a foreigner can develop a reputation, they can live and work here in a long time in the way they want.
2. Low cost of living for foreigners in Vietnam
According to a newly published ranking, Vietnam is the country with the cheap cost of living for foreigners compared to any other country in the world.
Compared to the cost of living in the US, the cost of living in Vietnam is cheaper than 45%. For example, the monthly costs in Vietnam are:
- Renting a house: $397.63
- Power + Water supply: $56.76
- Public transportation: $6.60
- A cup of cappuccino: $1.66
- A cup of local beer: $0.88
In the 2017 foreigner survey, 65 countries and territories are listed in the Personal Finance index. The sample size used is a minimum of 75 respondents in each country, however, there are nearly 50 countries with a sample size of more than 100.
According to the rankings in 2017, Vietnam became the leading country in the Personal Finance Index. Nearly three out of 10 respondents (28%) are completely satisfied with their financial situation when living in Vietnam, higher 11% than the global average (17%).
Only 7% of foreigners in Vietnam think that their family income is not enough to cover their living expenses. In fact, 93% of respondents said they had enough or more than they needed, far more than the global average of 77%. Almost one in five (18%) even think they have more money than they need to live.
More than nine out of ten foreigners (91%) are also happy with the cost of living in Vietnam, with more than four in tenths (43%) saying that costs are very reasonable (on average, only about 15% of the respondents praised the host country for a reasonable cost of living). InterNations’ 2017 survey also found that nearly three-quarters of foreigners (73%) considered the lower living expenses was a potential benefit when considering moving to live in Vietnam.
In conclusion, with the same salary, a foreigner cannot live in their own country but can live comfortably in Vietnam. In addition, the work is quite comfortable and not too stressful.
3. High salary for foreigners working in Vietnam
Most of the local people work in the agriculture field. Therefore, foreigners can find jobs in the field of information technology and communications, commerce, industry, and finance.
In addition, many foreigners have been seeking employment in the field of education, for those proficient in foreign languages such as English, French, Chinese or Japanese. Then you can get a full time or part-time work as a teacher if you qualify.
If you get a job in Hanoi, you can expect a monthly salary of about 10 million – 20 million dong equivalent to the salary of a local manager with many years of experience.
Vietnam is known for being one of the most ideal countries for international teaching opportunities. On average, teachers in Vietnam can earn about $800/£640 per month, with a bachelor’s degree, TEFL and some years of teaching experience, $1,800/£1400 for private schools and learning centers.
4. Vietnam – beautiful country – ideal for combined working and traveling
Vietnam is not only beautiful by nature, but also extremely interesting because of its history, culture, and people. In the eyes of foreigners, Vietnam is an attractive tourist destination. In addition to the beautiful nature, good food, foreigners often advise each other to travel in Vietnam because this is a place “very rich in culture and history,” which still retain its very own characteristics representing Vietnamese culture.
Therefore, they are particularly interested in the tourism program to explore the culture, history of Vietnam. Vietnam has many beautiful sights of nature, constantly named in the scenic world honors. By 2014, Vietnam has been recognized by 18 UNESCO World Heritage sites, including 2 natural heritages (Halong Bay, Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park); 5 cultural heritages (Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Hanoi Citadel, Hue Imperial Citadel, Hoi An Ancient Town, My Son Temple); a mixed heritage (Trang An Complex) and other intangible cultural heritage.
These legacies are not only a demonstration of a beautiful country, diverse in natural landscapes but also a destination that attracts many domestic and international visitors to visit each year.
There is a question that if you ask 100 people, surely more than 90 respondents will say yes: “Do you like to travel?”. Most of us want to travel around the world in the short years of life. But how many of us can make the dream come true? In fact, most of us only experience the trip through the computer screen in the same office thinking of “my money is limited” or “no work after traveling”.
However, if you come to Vietnam, you can both travel and work. It promises to be a very enjoyable experience.
Being a foreigner working in Vietnam, you will feel that coming to the country and looking for a job that is a right and happy decision.
If this idea sound exciting, now, let’s learn 5 job trends for foreigners in Vietnam.