A survey by recruitment firm Navigos found that 27 percent of the respondents said they were satisfied with being an expert, while 15 percent preferred to work only as freelancers.

Nine percent said they don’t need a promotion because they might go back to their home country in the next year or so.

The survey, which polled 110 respondents online, found that the main motivation for expats seeking work in Vietnam explained the lack of desire for promotions.

Almost half the respondents said they only came here for a new experience.

Of these, 25 percent were interested in experiencing local culture, while 24 percent wanted to experience a new market.

Only 17 percent moved to the country for a better income or lower cost of living, and 14 percent came for more job opportunities.

While 56 percent of respondents were satisfied with their compensation and benefits in the country, 53 percent said their home country offered better benefits.

The survey also found that expats were not receiving benefits they prioritize. The top three benefits they receive are relocation expenses, housing expense and home travel, while the top three benefits they want are healthcare benefits, paid leave and housing.

But overall, expats are satisfied with working in Vietnam. A high 74 percent of respondents said working in the country was in line with their expectations or better. The top reasons for being satisfied were relations with colleagues and the feeling of belonging to a company and a community, the survey found.

Expats who participated in the survey were mainly from Asia, Europe and North America, with the majority of them work in professional services, marketing and sales, and planning/projects. Over 60 percent of respondents were directors and managers.  

A recent HSBC survey found that average salary for expats working in Vietnam is $78,750 per year, slightly higher than the global mean of $75,966.

There are about 83,500 expats in the country, according to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.