With strong government support for high-tech industries, a rapidly evolving digital economy and growing expertise in AI, semiconductors, cloud computing, cybersecurity and advanced engineering, Vietnam continues to strengthen its position as one of Asia’s most attractive technology talent markets for companies looking to recruit tech talent or expand their engineering teams.
However, recruiting tech talent in this market requires a nuanced understanding of local dynamics, talent shortages, and evolving candidate expectations. This post explores the opportunities and challenges of recruiting tech talent in Vietnam and offers insights on how to build successful recruitment strategies.
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Vietnam’s Tech Talent Pool: Rapid Growth Amid a Significant Shortage
Vietnam’s tech talent market faces a critical paradox: despite a steadily expanding workforce supported by strong government investment in STEM education and innovation, employers continue to struggle to find qualified technology professionals.
Vietnam’s technology workforce is growing rapidly. Approximately 50,000 IT graduates enter the labor market each year, adding to an existing pool of around one million technology engineers. However, according to the TopDev IT Market Report 2024–2025, the country still faces a shortage of approximately 200,000 software engineers, data specialists, product managers, and other technology professionals.
The talent gap is particularly acute in specialized technology roles. According to the TopCV Recruitment Market Report 2026, based on responses from more than 3,000 recruiters and job seekers, the five hardest technology positions to fill are:
- AI engineers (12.2%)
- Bridge engineers (9.92%)
- Solution architects (9.16%)
- Mobile application developers (7.63%)
- Software architects (6.87%)
The report also identifies the primary hiring challenges faced by employers, including:
- A shortage of highly skilled candidates (55%)
- Intense competition from large technology companies (49.6%)
- A limited talent pool (34.3%)
Together, these findings highlight a persistent skills mismatch in Vietnam’s technology labor market. While the number of technology graduates continues to increase, many employers report difficulty finding candidates with the practical skills and industry experience required for high-value technical roles.
The findings also suggest that career guidance and industry-aligned training remain key priorities for narrowing the gap between talent supply and market demand.
Competitive Salaries Reflect Growing Demand for Specialized Skills
Vietnam’s IT labor market has entered a period of stabilization following several years of rapid salary growth. According to the ITViec Vietnam IT Salary & Recruitment Market Report 2025-2026, the median monthly IT salary declined only marginally by 1.1 percent year over year, from VND 43.7 million in 2024 to VND 43.2 million in 2025, suggesting that compensation levels remain resilient despite a more cautious hiring environment.
While overall salaries have largely plateaued, employers continue to offer premium compensation for experienced professionals and highly specialized roles, including:
- Technical leadership: CTOs, CIOs and Vice Presidents of Engineering command a median monthly salary of VND 101.25 million, making them the highest-paid IT professionals.
- Product management: Product Owners and Product Managers earn a median monthly salary of VND 50.1 million, increasing to VND 75 million for professionals with more than eight years of experience.
- Data professionals: Data Analysts and Data Scientists earn a median monthly salary of VND 40.65 million, while Data Engineers can earn VND 56.9 million with three to four years of experience.
- Back-end Developers: Median monthly salaries increase from VND 12.4 million at the entry level to VND 54.9 million for senior professionals.
- Embedded Engineers: Median monthly salaries grow from VND 21.4 million to VND 60.65 million over the course of their careers.
These trends indicate that while the overall IT salary market has stabilized, employers continue to reward specialized expertise, technical leadership, and experienced engineering talent with competitive compensation.
Despite rising compensation for experienced talent, Vietnam remains one of Southeast Asia’s most cost-competitive technology hubs. Salary levels are generally lower than those in more mature markets such as Singapore and Hong Kong, enabling businesses to access a growing pool of skilled professionals while maintaining competitive operating costs. This combination of cost efficiency and an expanding technology workforce continues to make Vietnam an attractive destination for software development, engineering, and digital innovation investments.
Vietnam’s Growing Expertise in Emerging Technologies
Vietnam is no longer just an outsourcing destination for basic software development. The country is rapidly advancing in strategic and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, blockchain, semiconductor manufacturing, green energy, and 5G/6G networks. This shift is supported by collaborations among universities, research institutions, and industry players, fostering an environment of continuous learning and innovation.
Many Vietnamese developers also possess strong English proficiency, which facilitates communication with international clients and teams. This combination of technical expertise and language skills makes Vietnam an attractive hub for companies recruiting tech talents to develop next-generation technologies and digital products.
Challenges in Hiring Tech Talent: Intense Competition and Candidate Expectations
Despite the advantages, recruiting tech talents in Vietnam remains challenging. The demand for skilled professionals, especially in specialized areas like AI, blockchain, and game development, far exceeds supply, creating fierce competition among startups, local firms, and multinational corporations all targeting the same limited candidate pool.
The recruitment process is often lengthy and complex, with top candidates receiving multiple offers and expecting timely, personalized communication. Companies that delay or fail to engage effectively risk losing talent to competitors.
Additionally, many skilled professionals consider relocating abroad for better opportunities, worsening the shortage. Moreover, although the number of IT graduates is high, many lack practical skills and experience, forcing companies to invest in training and upskilling as part of their recruitment strategies to bridge this gap.
Best Practices for Recruiting Tech Talents in Vietnam
To succeed in Vietnam’s competitive tech talent market, companies must adopt a strategic, localized recruitment approach rather than relying solely on job portals. Effective recruiters combine multiple channels, such as personal referrals, headhunter networks, and partnerships with local recruiting agencies or Employer of Record (EOR) services. These collaborations help navigate Vietnam’s labor laws, streamline payroll and benefits, and access passive candidates who may not be actively job hunting but are open to opportunities.
Clear, transparent communication about job roles, career paths, and company culture is essential to attract and retain candidates. Structured technical assessments and interviews ensure candidates meet required skill levels. Additionally, companies that engage candidates proactively with personalized follow-ups and flexible interview scheduling tend to achieve better hiring outcomes.
Investing in employee development is also critical. Offering training programs, mentorship, and chances to work on innovative projects helps bridge skill gaps and boosts retention. Vietnamese developers highly value continuous learning and career growth, making these investments key to long-term success in talent acquisition and retention.
Read Related: Ultimate Guide to Hire Contractors in Vietnam in 2025 | InCorp Vietnam
Top Vietnam Tech Talent Recruiting Agencies
Navigating Vietnam’s competitive tech talent market is complex, which is why many companies turn to specialized recruiting agencies to find the right candidates efficiently and compliantly. Among the top agencies, InCorp Vietnam stands out for offering comprehensive, end-to-end recruitment solutions tailored to the local market.
InCorp Vietnam is not only a leading recruitment agency but also a trusted provider of Employer of Record (EOR) and business process outsourcing services across Vietnam and the Asia-Pacific region. With a presence in nine countries and over 1,500 professionals supporting more than 20,000 clients, InCorp excels in sourcing top tech talent while ensuring compliance with Vietnam’s labor laws, including Foreign Contractor Tax (FCT) regulations. They manage payroll, legal contracts, and tax obligations, helping international companies hire efficiently without setting up a local entity.
Explore InCorp Vietnam’s Employer of Record Services
Other notable recruiting agencies include:
- Second Talent: Specializes in sourcing top 5% remote tech professionals with flexible hiring models and rapid onboarding across industries like fintech, gaming and blockchain.
- Talentnet: A joint venture with Mercer, offering HR consulting, recruitment, and training services, combining international standards with local expertise.
- Reeracoen Vietnam: A subsidiary of Japan’s Neo Career Group, known for their international approach and strong connections in the Japanese business community.
- Robert Walters Vietnam: Focuses on mid-to-senior level tech placements, especially in software engineering, data analytics and cybersecurity for international and local firms undergoing digital transformation.
How InCorp Can Help
InCorp Vietnam provides end-to-end recruitment solutions designed to help businesses succeed in Vietnam’s highly competitive tech talent market. We combine local expertise with regional reach to support companies in sourcing, attracting, and retaining top-tier tech professionals. Our services go beyond traditional hiring – we offer executive search, contract staffing, and Employer of Record (EOR) solutions to ensure full compliance with Vietnam’s labor laws while reducing hiring time and costs. With deep knowledge of market salaries, cultural expectations, and candidate behaviors, InCorp helps businesses build strong, scalable teams that align with long-term growth goals.
