Minimum wage proposed to increase by 9.2%, from July 1

After half of the first session of the National Wage Council, workers' representatives proposed two minimum wage increases from July 1, 2025.

Speaking on the sidelines of the first meeting of the National Wage Council on the morning of June 26, Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic Studies and Labor - Trade Union Magazine Nhac Phan Linh, a council member, said that the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor proposed two options to increase the minimum wage to ensure a minimum living standard for workers. Those options are 9.2% and 8.3%.

Specifically:

With the above options, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor proposes to increase the minimum wage from July 1, 2025.

The above proposal from the labor representative is based on the general economic context, economic development goals and upcoming forecasts; regular surveys and investigations by the trade union organization.

Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic Studies and Labor - Trade Union Magazine Nhac Phan Linh (Photo: Hoa Le).

Specifically, along with the country's new era, Vietnam aims to become a developed, high-income country by 2045.

Based on the above, Mr. Linh said, average income per capita must reach 15,000 USD/person, while currently it only reaches 4,700 USD/person.

Thus, each year workers' income must increase by more than 400 USD, equivalent to 12 million VND/person.

"This is the basis for the National Wage Council to meet and discuss with a different approach than before. Of course, the basis for determining the minimum wage still depends a lot on the basket of goods, CPI... But we also take the political goals set by the Party and State to create a new breakthrough," Mr. Linh emphasized.

Members of the National Wage Council attend the first session (Photo: Hoa Le).

Thus, workers' representatives believe that workers' wages and incomes also need a "revolution".

Mr. Linh added that in job security, salary and income security is the minimum condition.

"The proposed increase of 9.2% and 8.2% by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor is still very modest compared to the goals that the Party and State are setting," said Mr. Nhac Phan Linh.

From 2023 to present, labor representatives cited the example of electricity prices increasing 4 times, a total increase of 17%, while the minimum wage only increased 6%.

Regarding the adjustment of the minimum hourly wage, the labor representative proposed to determine the minimum hourly wage based on the conversion of the monthly minimum wage and have an adjustment coefficient.

Along with the two proposed minimum wage increases from the labor representative, Mr. Hoang Quang Phong, Vice President of the Vietnam Confederation of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), Vice President of the National Wage Council, said that the proposed adjustment range is from 3% to 5%.

"This level is moderate, aiming to increase room for businesses to adapt, have conditions to reward diligent workers, especially effectively implementing Resolution 57 on increasing labor productivity and innovation," he said.

Mr. Phong emphasized that the decision on the specific increase level needs to continue to be negotiated within the council and there is currently no official document.

While the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor proposed a wage increase from July 1, employers' representatives proposed a minimum wage increase from January 1, 2026.

Mr. Phong added that the council's technical department also proposed a minimum wage increase of 6.5% to 7%.

Thus, the proposed salary increase levels of the three parties clearly show a huge difference.

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/luong-toi-thieu-duoc-de-xuat-tang-92-tu-17-post290620.html