Rumors are circulating about Lunar New Year bonuses.
Before the Gregorian New Year and more than a month and a half before the Lunar New Year, workers in state-owned enterprises, foreign-owned companies, and private businesses are buzzing with discussions about their New Year bonuses.
Almost every unit provides Tet bonuses; the only difference is whether the bonus is high or low. Of course, it's possible that some units don't have funds for Tet bonuses and have to use money from the Trade Union Fund to cover Tet expenses.
According to a request from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, provinces and cities are required to report on the situation regarding salaries and Tet bonuses by mid-December. Information from localities indicates that Tet bonuses in 2025 have not changed significantly compared to the previous year; however, a large disparity in bonus amounts still exists.
This year, the highest Tet bonus for the Year of the Snake (2025) belongs to workers in Ho Chi Minh City. Compared to the Gregorian New Year 2025, the highest bonus was 1.8 billion VND/person, belonging to a foreign-invested enterprise (FDI), while the lowest was 0.1 million VND, belonging to a domestic enterprise. On average, the bonus for workers in Ho Chi Minh City is approximately 3.4 million VND/person, lower than the survey results of 2024 (4.7 million VND/person).
In Long An province, the highest Tet bonus is 519 million VND per person. This is lower than the highest bonus in the locality last year. Another locality with a high projected Tet bonus is Binh Duong province. By mid-December 2024, 1,771 businesses in Binh Duong had reported their Tet bonus plans; of which, 1,676 businesses had announced their bonus plans, while 95 businesses had not yet announced their bonus levels. The highest projected New Year's bonus in Binh Duong is expected to be 368 million VND per person, from an FDI enterprise. The highest projected Lunar New Year bonus is 375 million VND per person, also from an FDI enterprise.
In Nghe An province, a survey of businesses revealed that the highest Tet bonus for the Lunar New Year 2025 was 74 million VND per person, while the lowest was 300,000 VND per person. Forecasts indicate that the average Tet bonus nationwide will reach 8.77 million VND per person, applicable to employees who have worked for 12 months in the year. However, many units, localities, and businesses have not yet been able to announce their Tet bonuses.
Announcing Tet bonuses, whether or not, is not mandatory; it depends on the budget of each unit or enterprise. Therefore, whether the Tet bonus is high or low, present or absent, is something each employee needs to understand and share with their workplace. For example, high schools don't have funds to pay Tet bonuses; they only receive the 13th-month salary as stipulated by the State. Therefore, schools have to utilize the Trade Union Fund to cover Tet expenses. Many years ago, teachers in mountainous areas only received a Tet bonus of 100,000 VND. But they still managed to get through Tet!
In related developments, many banks and some finance companies have launched loan packages for Tet (Lunar New Year) expenses, while businesses and sales channels are offering installment payment options, such as: "Even with a small wallet, you can still have a fulfilling Tet..." Many people believe that borrowing is easy now, but repaying is difficult! It's like farmers; nobody gives them a Tet bonus except for the hard work they put into cultivating their fields!
