Formalization

Research brief: Returns to education in Viet Nam: Earnings, education and the transition to formality

This brief explores whether higher qualifications still lead to better earnings in Viet Nam, and how education and training shape workers’ transitions from informal to formal employment.

Content also available in: tiếng Việt

It highlights key labour market trends, including the shrinking earnings premium for university degrees, rising wages in the informal sector, and persistent gender pay gaps. These developments raise important questions about the value of education in today’s economy and the need to strengthen the links between education, skills and decent work.

The brief offers timely insights and policy considerations to enhance wage-setting mechanisms, improve the relevance of training, promote gender pay equity, and support a more inclusive and formalized labour market.