It's a repeat of what has already been happening in the eastern part of China. As many workers are not returning to their factories in Vietnam after the Lunar New Year and Tet holidays, the local apparel and footwear manufacturing companies are making pitches to attract thousands of badly needed new employees.
Minimum wages have already gone up in Vietnam, but real wages are getting even higher. According to reports from the country, they are offering monthly salaries of between 4.5 million dong (€163.33-$211.76) and VND6.0 million (€217.78-$282.34), plus two meals per day and holiday bonuses. The factory are so short-staffed that they are asking prospective workers to apply with their identification papers and their belongings in order to start working immediately.
The Ho Chi Min City Job Center is reportedly on the lookout for a total of 800 apparel and shoe factory workers. Another 5,000 are being recruited in Vietnam's industrial parks and export processing centers.
In spite of the labor shortages, Vietnam is aiming to increase its apparel and footwear exports by 10 to 12 percent in 2012, reaching a total of $15 billion.
