Businesses in HCMC striving to maintain Tet bonuses for workers

During the 2026 New Year holiday, Tran Thi My Hang, a native of Nghe An Province and a worker at Vinh Loc Industrial Park, recalculated her expenses leading up to the Lunar New Year. In a small notebook, she detailed basic expenditures such as rent, electricity, water, her daughter’s tuition, and family living costs for the next month. On the adjacent page, she recorded the couple’s income and estimated bonuses and support from their companies.

After doing the math, seeing little money left over, Hang could not hide her anxiety. She said her company had just announced a Tet bonus equal to one month’s salary, while her husband’s company had not yet made an official announcement, even though he received a 1.5-month salary bonus last year. “Now I just hope my husband’s bonus is the same as last year so we dare to plan to take our child back to our hometown for Tet,” Hang shared.

Hang’s situation is not unique; the mood of waiting for Tet bonuses and cutting back on spending is a common sentiment among many migrant workers amidst difficult living conditions. Understanding these concerns, even though the production and business situation is not entirely favorable, many enterprises are still making efforts to take care of salaries, bonuses, and welfare for workers.

At Sambu Vina Sports Co. Ltd. in Xuan Thoi Son Commune, despite facing production difficulties, the enterprise still ensures full payment of salaries, bonuses, and policy benefits for 1,750 workers. For the upcoming Lunar New Year, the company expects to reward each worker with one month’s salary. The grassroots Trade Union also provides a support package of VND500,000 (US$19) for each member. Specifically, about 300 workers in difficult circumstances will receive an additional gift package worth VND350,000–400,000 ($15).

A sense of excitement also spread at Panko Vina Co. Ltd. in Ben Cat Ward. Before the 2026 New Year holiday, over 2,600 workers were informed they would receive Tet support from the City Trade Union designated for workers losing their jobs before Tet. “Although the amount is not large, for us, it is timely encouragement, helping to alleviate worries during this difficult period,” said Nguyen Thi Nhung, a worker at the company.

To help workers at Panko Vina Co., Ltd. access new jobs quickly, right in the early days of 2026, Thoi Hoa Ward coordinated with relevant units to organize a job fair with a recruitment demand of about 10,000 workers. Many businesses participating in the fair were ready to accept Panko Vina workers as the company ceased operations.

Meanwhile, at A Chau Door Technology Co. Ltd. in Tan Hiep Ward, although production has faced numerous difficulties, the company actively sought orders to ensure stable jobs for over 1,000 workers. For this Lunar New Year, the enterprise has allocated about VND26 billion ($1.1 million) for Tet bonuses, with amounts calculated based on seniority and job position for each worker.

According to the HCMC Department of Home Affairs, over 3,800 businesses in the city have reported their 2026 Tet bonus plans. For the Year of the Fire Horse 2026, the average bonus is VND12.02 million ($457) per person, an increase of 6.8 percent compared to the previous year.

This represents a significant effort by many enterprises in a context where challenges persist. Statistics show that among reporting companies, 719 stated they faced obstacles in paying Tet bonuses due to reduced orders, scaled-down production, difficulties in debt recovery, and rising overhead cost pressures.