Why Invest in Vietnam? The Money Keeps Coming. The People Are Harder to Find.
Vietnam drew a five-year high of US$27.62 billion in disbursed FDI in 2025, led by manufacturing, and the World Bank forecasts 6.8% growth for 2026. Yet capital is not the constraint — talent is. This guide explains…
Vietnam took in a five-year high of foreign investment in 2025. Yet many of those same companies say hiring is the hardest part of doing business here.
This guide explains why invest in Vietnam in 2026, and where foreign companies get stuck: hiring experienced people.
Growth that keeps surprising people
Vietnam's economy grew about 8% in 2025, according to the World Bank. The bank forecasts 6.8% for 2026.
That is a slowdown, but still a strong pace. The World Bank also warns of an oil shock and a weaker global environment.
Vietnam FDI in 2025: where the money is going
Foreign investors put US$27.62 billion into projects in 2025, the highest disbursement in five years, reported by The Investor from official statistics.
Manufacturing took 82.8% of it. Newly licensed capital came mostly from Singapore, mainland China, Hong Kong and Japan.
Registered FDI, which counts commitments rather than cash spent, reached US$38.42 billion. The two numbers measure different things, so treat them separately.
The door into other markets
Vietnam is part of the EU-Vietnam trade agreement (EVFTA), in force since August 2020. According to ASEAN Briefing, the EU removed about 85.6% of its tariff lines on day one, rising to 99.2% within seven years.
Vietnam's own tariff cuts are slower: 91.8% of lines within seven years.
Credit rating firm Coface counts 18 trade agreements in total. Its assessment dates from October 2024.
Hiring in Vietnam: where companies get stuck
Capital is not the bottleneck. People are.
- In Ho Chi Minh City, employers advertised more than 313,000 jobs in 2025, while fewer than 192,000 job seekers registered, according to Vietnam Briefing.
- 38% of European businesses cite growing talent shortages, according to EuroCham's Q2 2026 survey.
- In EuroCham's Q4 2025 survey, 45% named retaining and recruiting talent as a 2026 priority, and about a third cited visa or work-permit constraints, reported by Việt Nam News.
Pay is rising too. Average monthly income reached about VND 8.4 million in 2025, up from VND 7.7 million a year earlier (Vietnam Briefing, citing national statistics).
The risks worth knowing
Coface lists a weak business climate, with concerns about transparency and bureaucracy. It also points to reliance on Chinese supply chains and gaps in infrastructure.
Among European firms, more than half name regulatory delays and inconsistent policy as their main obstacle, according to EuroCham as reported by VietNamNet.
Executive search in Vietnam: plan leadership hires early
No independent survey we found measures how short Vietnam is of senior executives. The evidence above is about skilled workers in general.
Our own view, from the searches we run for clients, is that the pressure is likely sharper at director and country-manager level. Treat that as our experience, not a statistic.
We search for leaders in energy, FMCG and manufacturing, logistics and supply chain, technology, finance and banking, and construction and real estate. In these sectors, the people a new Vietnam operation needs most are usually employed and not job hunting. So our searches start by mapping the market, not by posting an ad.
If you are opening or growing a team here, plan the senior hires early. They tend to be the slowest part of the timeline.
That is why we run Retained Search for leadership roles: we map the market and approach passive candidates discreetly, with an average search time of 6 to 10 weeks and a replacement guarantee.
[IMAGE: retained-search-five-steps.png | alt:
Quick answer: why Vietnam?
- Fast growth, with the World Bank forecasting 6.8% for 2026.
- Record cash flowing in, led by manufacturing.
- Trade agreements that open doors to the EU and other markets.
- The catch: finding experienced people takes time and a plan.
FAQ
Is Vietnam still a good place to invest in 2026? The World Bank forecasts 6.8% growth for 2026, after about 8% in 2025. It also flags oil-price and global risks.
Which sector attracts the most foreign investment? Manufacturing and processing took 82.8% of disbursed FDI in 2025, according to The Investor.
How long does it take to hire a senior executive in Vietnam? Our retained searches take 6 to 10 weeks on average.
Hiring a country manager or director in Vietnam? Tell us about the role in a short, confidential brief. Request a Confidential Brief
