Vietnam has 984,000 unemployed people as of October 1, out of the country’s total number of working-age people of 53.1 million.

The group aged between 15 and 24 make up 47% of the total number of unemployed people. 

A report jointly conducted by General Statistics Office (GSO) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) showed that in the first three quarters of the year, urban area’s unemployment rate is 3.3% against just 1.4% of rural area.

Ho Chi Minh City has the highest unemployment rate, of 3.92%, followed by the central and central coastal regions, with around 2%. The rate in Hanoi was 2.15%. The northern midland and mountainous regions reported the lowest unemployment rate of 0.77%.

Females account for 2.5% of all unemployed, and males, 1.71%. The group aged between 15 and 24 make up 47% of the total number of unemployed people.

According to the report, the number of labourers working for foreign-invested and State-owned enterprises has tended to be on the decline. The domestic private sector, including cooperatives, has seen better numbers in terms of employment rates.

The report also indicated that, despite the fact that Vietnam has not been witnessing extremely high unemployment rate, there are a large amount of those who are underemployed.

Gyorgy Sziraczki, of ILO Vietnam, said the country needs to update labour policy in order to achieve better numbers.

The head of GSO, Do Thuc, said that from 2013, GSO will announce a quarterly survey on the issue, with the support of ILO.