Vietnam Electronics, Apparel Sectors Facing 50% Worker Shortages

(Bloomberg) -- Vietnam’s electronics, garment, leather and footwear sectors are reporting worker shortages of about 50% after anti-virus restrictions began lifting early this month.

Electronics manufacturers nationwide are operating with a shortage of nearly 56% of workers and garment makers are facing a lack of 49.2% of employees, according to the government website, which cited labor ministry data. The leather and footwear sector reported a 51.7% worker shortage. 

Tens of thousands of workers began fleeing the nation’s commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City and nearby industrial provinces of Binh Duong, Dong Nai and Long An after tough lockdowns began easing, the government said earlier this month. As many as 2.1 million workers in the industrial belt want to return to their home provinces, the government reported, citing data from the public security ministry.

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The electrical equipment manufacturing sector is reporting a 44.5% shortage of employees while the textile sector says it is lacking 39.5% of needed workers, the government said.  

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