HCM City faces manual labour shortage

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65% of the jobs available at a job centre in Thu Duc District are for component assembly workers or machine operators. Nissei Electric Vietnam alone needs 500 workers.

Huynh Thi Thuy Trang from the company's human resource department said, "The labour force in the company is very unstable lately because many female workers returned to their hometown to get married or didn't want to work the night shifts."

The company lowered the requirements for female workers in order to find enough workers to cover the positions and expand businesses. They also upgraded the dormitory with washing machines and wifi, held more group activities including cinema nights and sports events.

A cleaning service provider, Gia An Company, in District 3, also met worker shortage. Recruiter Ta Hoang Phuong Trung said, "We pay VND35,000 (US$1.55) to VND50,000 per hour which is quite high for home help and cleaners. Still, the number of applicants is low even though we’ve advertised on the internet, in newspapers and at job centres."

Trung said this was the problem that many firms were having to deal with. Unable to find customers is a company's most feared problem but now they are unable to find enough workers to fulfil the contracts.

According to many experts, young people don't like working in factories when they can find other jobs. Hoang Ngoc Sy and his wife were assembly workers at Panasonic AVC Networks Vietnam but quitted after his wife became pregnant. Sy and his wife have opened an eatery and receive orders online. Sy said the work was harder but they have more stable incomes as well as freedom and time to take care of their children.

"I worked for eight years for nearly VND6 million (US$265) a month and my wife's salary was VND5 million. It was fine before but we can't raise a baby with those salaries," he said.

Pham Van Bo also left a footwear factory in Thu Duc District after a while in order to return to help his relatives with their own business in Dong Nai District. He is able to work near home and with a higher salary.

Meanwhile, Ho Quoc Toan resigned as a veterinary drugs mixer after three years for fear of occupational health risks. 

"I want to find a more suitable job with more opportunities. I'm young and if I don't act, I may miss the opportunity," he said.