Viet Nam’s population continues to grow but the growth rate tends to slow down

According to compiled data from the Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance, in 2025 the average population of Viet Nam reached 102.3 million people, increasing by approximately 1% compared with 2024.

The population structure continued to shift toward aging as the proportion of the young group aged 0–14 decreased, while the share of those aged 60 and over increased. However, the population in working age (15–59 years) still accounted for a high proportion of 62.7%, indicating that Viet Nam remains in the golden population structure period.

In 2025, Viet Nam’s total fertility rate was 1.93 children per woman. Although this increased slightly compared with 2024 (1.91 children per woman), when viewed over the entire period from 2020 to the present, fertility remains on a declining trend, and this trend is forecast to continue in the coming years.

Among the 34 provinces and centrally governed cities, Ho Chi Minh City recorded the lowest fertility rate at 1.51 children per woman. Along with Ho Chi Minh City, fertility levels in several provinces in the Southeast region and the Mekong Delta region are also much lower than the replacement level. Dong Thap: 1.61 children per woman; Vinh Long: 1.70 children per woman; Can Tho: 1.63 children per woman; Ca Mau: 1.55 children per woman.

The imbalance in the sex ratio at birth remains high, with a sex ratio at birth (SRB) of 110 boys per 100 girls. Compared with 2024, this ratio has decreased but remains higher than the balanced level of 105 boys per 100 girls.

The mortality level of the population continued to remain low with the crude death rate in 2025 at 6.1‰; the infant mortality rate (IMR) at 11.2‰; and the average life expectancy in 2025 reaching 74.7 years.

The labor market remains stable and records many positive signs

Also according to the Statistics Office, the number of employed workers for the whole year of 2025 reached 52.4 million people, increasing by 578.3 thousand people (equivalent to an increase of 1.12%) compared with 2024, with the increase mainly in urban areas.

In the fourth quarter of 2025 alone, employed workers reached 52.7 million people, increasing by 477.5 thousand people, equivalent to an increase of 0.9% compared with the previous quarter and increasing by 656.2 thousand people, equivalent to an increase of 1.26% compared with the same period of 2024.

The structure of employed labor in 2025 continued to shift toward industrialization and service development. The service sector accounted for the largest share at 40.8%, followed by the industry and construction sector at 33.5%, while the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector decreased to 25.7%. This trend is consistent with the objective of labor restructuring associated with economic growth and productivity improvement.

Regarding labor quality, in 2025 the proportion of trained workers with degrees and certificates was estimated at 29.2%, increasing by 0.9 percentage points compared with the previous year, thereby meeting the target for trained workers with degrees and certificates (29.0–29.5%) under Resolution No. 158/2024/QH15 dated November 12, 2024 of the National Assembly on the socio-economic development plan for 2025.

In 2025, the number of workers in informal employment reached 33.1 million people, accounting for 63.1% of the total number of employed workers. Although this proportion remains high, the downward trend shows positive signals of the labor market gradually moving toward formalization.

Overall in 2025, the average monthly income of workers also improved, reaching an average of 8.4 million VND per person per month, an increase of 8.9%, equivalent to an increase of 685 thousand VND per person per month compared with 2024.

The unemployment and underemployment rates continued to remain low with about 1.06 million people of working age unemployed and about 772.5 thousand people of this age group underemployed. The unemployment and underemployment rates among the working-age population were 2.22% and 1.65%, respectively.

In this context, the Statistics Office noted that although the labor market in 2025 remained relatively stable, some indicators still need further monitoring, such as the youth unemployment rate and the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training.

The unemployment rate among youth aged 15–24 in the fourth quarter of 2025 was 9.04%, significantly higher than the overall unemployment rate. About 1.4 million youth aged 15–24 were neither employed nor participating in education or training (accounting for 10.2% of total youth), an increase of 124.3 thousand people compared with the same period of 2024.

The youth unemployment rate and the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training in Viet Nam remain relatively high, reflecting the difficulties young people face in seeking jobs.

Although compared with many countries in the world these rates in Viet Nam are lower, in the domestic context they remain higher than the general level of the labor market, posing the need to continue implementing solutions to support youth in the transition from education to employment.