HANOI, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam will raise regional minimum wages for employees under labor contracts by 7.2 percent next year, the Vietnam News Agency reported Monday.
Under the government's decree, minimum wages will rise by between 250,000 and 350,000 Vietnamese dong (about 9.96 and 13.94 U.S. dollars), bringing the new monthly minimum to 3.7 million dong (about 147 dollars).
The adjustment will apply across four wage regions based on local economic conditions, with the highest rates in Region One for Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hai Phong, and Can Tho, according to local media VNExpress.
Since 2000, the government has adjusted the minimum wage 20 times to safeguard workers' basic living standards amid rising living costs and inflation pressures.
