The Vietnam semiconductor workforce shortage is colliding head-on with record foreign investment. Global chip leaders are pouring money into Vietnam. Nvidia, Amkor, and other firms are expanding fast. But the country lacks the engineers needed to run these factories.
Vietnam’s semiconductor industry generated about 18.7 billion USD in revenue in 2024. Yet the entire country has only around 7,000 microchip engineers. That workforce meets just 20% of actual industry demand. The gap is widening, not shrinking.
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Amkor’s major facility in Bac Ninh alone is designed to employ about 7,200 workers once fully operational. Even with automation at 70%, the need for skilled technicians and engineers is massive. Vietnam’s government aims to train 50,000 high-quality semiconductor professionals by 2030, but today’s supply pipeline remains thin.
Why the Vietnam Semiconductor Workforce Shortage Is So Severe
Vietnam currently has about 40 chip-related companies employing roughly 5,600 engineers. Universities in Ho Chi Minh City produce only 400 to 500 semiconductor-related graduates per year. That output is less than 10% of the national target set under Vietnam’s semiconductor strategy.
Even more critical is the shortage of senior engineers. Academic leaders note that while junior talent exists, there are too few professionals capable of managing full chip design projects from start to finish. This limits how quickly Vietnam can move up the value chain.
The result is intense competition. Global firms such as Nvidia, Qualcomm, Infineon, Synopsys, Google, and Faraday are all recruiting from the same small talent pool. Salaries for experienced engineers are rising quickly as companies fight to secure staff.
A Global Crisis Makes Vietnam a Frontline Case
Vietnam’s struggle is part of a wider semiconductor talent crisis. A joint study by the Semiconductor Industry Association and Oxford Economics warns that the U.S. alone could face a 67,000-person shortfall by 2030. SEMI estimates the global industry will need more than one million additional workers to meet demand.
The market is also rebounding fast. Semiconductor revenues are expected to grow about 16% in 2024, reaching roughly 611 billion USD. This growth puts even more pressure on already stretched talent pipelines.
Within this global squeeze, Vietnam stands out as one of the tightest pressure points.
Vietnam Semiconductor Workforce Shortage: Why Technical Recruitment Agencies Are Thriving
With Vietnam aiming to expand from 7,000 engineers today to 50,000 by 2030, demand for intermediaries is exploding. Semiconductor firms in key industrial zones currently employ about 8,074 workers and plan to hire nearly 8,200 more by 2030.
This rapid headcount growth has turned specialized technical recruitment agencies into some of the most profitable service businesses in Hanoi. They sit between multinational chip firms and a chronically undersupplied labor market. For recruiters, it is a seller’s market.
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Conclusion: Strategy in a Vietnam Semiconductor Workforce Shortage
The Vietnam semiconductor workforce shortage is no longer a side issue. It is now the central constraint on growth. Companies that understand the labor market, training bottlenecks, and recruitment dynamics will gain a real edge. To navigate this complex landscape, investors and firms can explore more services from Market Research Vietnam by Eurogroup Consulting. With 40 years of distinguished experience, Eurogroup Consulting excels in delivering strategic consulting services, with a strong focus on market research in Vietnam and the wider region. Its team provides deep insights and hands-on support, making it a vital partner for succeeding in Vietnam’s fast-evolving semiconductor market.
