Some 1,235 enterprises in Vietnam are grappling with difficulties in production, affecting 472,000 workers, according to the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor. More than 41,500 people have had their work contracts terminated since the middle of the year.

Of the 41,558 people who lost their jobs, nearly 30,300 were female workers aged 35 or older, and more than 9,400 were pregnant and raising children under 12 months of age.

The job cuts were mostly seen in textile, garment, footwear, and wood processing enterprises, as input costs rose and foreign orders failed to materialize due to falling consumer demand in major markets such as the US, the EU, and Japan.

The confederation has forecast that these difficulties will last until the middle of 2023, leading to more layoffs and lower working hours.