Vietnam’s labor market continued to see recovery in the first quarter of 2023, with the number of employed people rising while the unemployment rate fell, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

During the opening quarter, 51.1 million people aged 15 and over had jobs, or 113,500 more than in the previous quarter and 1.1 million more than in the first quarter of 2022. Of the total, those in the service sector made up the highest proportion, with 39 per cent, followed by the industrial and construction sector with 33.9 per cent.

The number of underemployed people of working age was around 885,500, down 443,100 against the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the number of unemployed people was 1.05 million, down 65,100.

Vietnam’s workforce aged 15 and over stood at 52.2 million people during the period, an increase of more than 1 million compared to the same period last year.