Hanoi - Post Report Question and Answers
What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
Lots of hippy teachers roam Hanoi and Vietnam, so you'll always find those people lounging about in cafes after (or during) a hard day's work. Spouses and partners tend to find work at the embassy, if they desire. I know of some spouses who telecommute. - Aug 2021
Varies - there are opportunities out there, although more corporate or teaching these days. The NGO sector is not what it used to be, and development work based in Viet Nam is rapidly decamping to other parts of Asia (Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia) or outside of Asia altogether. - Dec 2019
US embassy has a variety of EFM jobs. There is no bilateral work agreement between US and Vietnam, so spouses of American diplomats have harder time working on local economy. - Jul 2019
The embassy has a good number of EFM positions. While there is no bilateral work agreement between the US and Vietnam, there are plenty of opportunities to work informally off the economy, whether as a teacher at one of the international schools, as an English teacher (demand is high), or for one of many NGOs or international organizations working in Hanoi. Local salaries are low but expat-oriented jobs typically pay higher than the local scale, and wages are rising year by year in Hanoi. - Dec 2017
No - May 2016
Very limited U.S.-level salaried jobs on the local market (you would have had to find it beforehand and gotten transferred here). Opportunities in freelancing, teaching, working at NGOs. - Mar 2015
Unless you are a English teacher or you speak Vietnamese, not really. Local wages are very low. Some positions in the mission are offered to household members. - Dec 2011
Possibly if you have NGO experience. - Aug 2011
Not really, unless you can find a job inside the embassy as an EFM. - May 2010
Vietnam has a dearth of skilled labor, so there are many opportunities for work. With the economic crisis beginning to bite, many expats are being let go. - Feb 2009
English teachers are in demand although wages are not high stating out at less than $800 per month. Other expats have tended to carve out their own employment with some writing freelance journals, others starting distillaries, and some opening their own restaurants. Work permits are relatively easy with the help of a Vietnamese lawyer and some well placed - Sep 2008
Not really, mostly because of the extremely low wages paid. - May 2008
