The General Statistics Office (GSO) has reported encouraging data in the labour market in the first six months of 2019, including unemployment decline and income improvement.

The number of employed workers at the age of 15 and above reached 54.3 million in the first six months of 2019

It highlighted a positive shift in the labour structure with a sharp fall in the proportion of agro-forestry-fishery labourers and increases of those in the industry – construction and service sectors.

During the period, the number of employed workers at the age of 15 and above reached 54.3 million.

The figure included 19.2 million in the agro-forestry-fishery sector, equivalent to 35.3 percent of the total and down 3.1 percent year on year. Meanwhile, 15.7 million worked in the industry – construction sector (accounting for 28.9 percent and up 2.3 percent) and 19.4 million in the service sector (accounting for 35.8 percent and up 0.8 percent).

The unemployment rate among people of working age was 2.16 percent. It was 3.11 percent in urban areas and 1.66 percent in rural areas, according to the GSO.

In the January-June period, the average monthly income of wage earners was estimated at 6.7 million VND. This figure was 7.1 million VND among men, 6.3 million VND among women, 7.8 million VND among wage earners in urban areas, and 5.9 million VND among those in rural areas.

The monthly income in the group of leaders of sectors, all-level administrations and units averaged 11.2 million VND, up 1.7 million VND year on year. The figure rose by 1 million VND to 9.2 million VND among specialists and skilled technicians, and by 746,000 VND to 4.8 million VND among unskilled workers, data showed.