The Vietnam National Wage Council has agreed to increase the region-based minimum wages by 5.3% in 2019. Specifically, Increased amounts in region-based minimum wages are 200,000 VND for Region I; 180,000 VND for Region II; and 160,000 VND for Region III and Region IV.
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Thus, region-based minimum wages in 2019 are as follows:
- Region I: 4,180,000 VND/month;
- Region II: 3,710,000 VND/month;
- Region III: 3,250,000 VND/month;
- Region IV: 2,920,000 VND/month.
Let's review the region-based minimum wages over the years (from 2010 to 2019) with Lawnet as shown in the table below:
Region-based minimum wages over the years
(From 2010 to 2019)
Unit: VND/month
| Effective Date | Region I | Region II | Region III | Region IV | Legal Basis |
| From January 01, 2010 to December 31, 2010 |
980,000 | 880,000 | 810,000 | 730,000 | Decree 97/2009/ND-CP |
| From January 01, 2011 to October 01, 2011 |
1,350,000 | 1,200,000 | 1,050,000 | 830,000 | Decree 108/2010/ND-CP |
| From October 01, 2011 to December 31, 2012 |
2,000,000 | 1,780,000 | 1,550,000 | 1,400,000 | Decree 70/2011/ND-CP |
| From January 01, 2013 to December 31, 2013 |
2,350,000 | 2,100,000 | 1,800,000 | 1,650,000 | Decree 103/2012/ND-CP |
| From January 01, 2014 to December 31, 2014 |
2,700,000 | 2,400,000 | 2,100,000 | 1,900,000 | Decree 182/2013/ND-CP |
| From January 01, 2015 to December 31, 2015 |
3,100,000 | 2,750,000 | 2,400,000 | 2,150,000 | Decree 103/2014/ND-CP |
| From January 01, 2016 to December 31, 2016 |
3,500,000 | 3,100,000 | 2,700,000 | 2,400,000 | Decree 122/2015/ND-CP |
| From January 01, 2017 to December 31, 2017 |
3,750,000 | 3,320,000 | 2,900,000 | 2,580,000 | Decree 153/2016/ND-CP |
| From January 01, 2018 to December 31, 2018 |
3,980,000 | 3,530,000 | 3,090,000 | 2,760,000 | Decree 41/2017/ND-CP |
| From January 01, 2019 Estimated |
4,180,000 | 3,710,000 | 3,250,000 | 2,920,000 | Draft Decree |
Although there have been increases over the years, the region-based minimum wages always ensure the following principles:
- The salaries paid to employees working under normal labor conditions must not be lower than the region-based minimum wage for the simplest jobs;
- For employees performing jobs that require vocational training, the salary must be at least 7% higher than the region-based minimum wage;
- When implementing the region-based minimum wage, enterprises are not allowed to abolish or reduce salary policies when employees work overtime, work at night, work under strenuous and hazardous conditions, in-kind allowances, or other allowances, bonuses, and benefits.
