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As Vietnam continues to position itself as a major player in the global IT outsourcing industry, its developer community is emerging as a critical force driving the country’s digital economy forward. Vietnamese developers, known for their technical prowess and adaptability, are becoming a preferred choice for IT outsourcing by companies across the globe. In this blog, we’ll explore the current landscape and outlook for Vietnamese developers in 2024-2025 and how they are reshaping the future of IT outsourcing.
1. An Abundant, Potential Developer Landscape from Vietnam
According to the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC), Vietnam boasts a substantial ICT labor force, with approximately 530,000 software developers and a total of 1.5 million individuals employed in the industry. In 2023, the IT industry accounted for approximately 3.4% of Vietnam’s workforce aged 15 and above. This sector demonstrates a diverse distribution of labor across its subfields:
- Hardware and Electronics: 63%
- Software: 17%
- IT Trading and Distribution: 14%
- Other IT Services: 6%
- Digital Content: 0.25%
These statistics reflect the dominant role of hardware and electronics in Vietnam’s IT industry, with software and IT trading also contributing significantly.
Additionally, Vietnam’s “golden population” period, with 67.4% of its people aged 15-64, and the addition of 57,000 new tech graduates in software engineering each year, ensure that the number of Vietnamese developers is set to grow significantly in the years ahead.
Vietnamese developers are a key driver of the country’s burgeoning IT outsourcing sector. Statista projects that IT outsourcing revenue in Vietnam will reach USD 694.80 million by 2024, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.23% from 2024 to 2029, bringing the market to USD 1,237 million by 2029. Remarkably, Vietnam consistently ranks as one of the world’s leading software outsourcing destinations. According to Kearney’s 2021 Global Services Location Index, the country is among the top 6 global leaders in software outsourcing. Additionally, research by Accelerance places Vietnam in 2nd position among the best destinations for software outsourcing in Southeast Asia.
As global companies increasingly turn to Vietnam for its cost-effective services and skilled workforce, the number of developers involved in IT outsourcing is rising steadily. Recognized for their ability to quickly adapt to emerging technologies and their commitment to continuous professional development, Vietnamese developers are becoming highly sought after in the global IT outsourcing market.
> Download our ebook “Strategic Vietnam IT Outsourcing: Optimizing Cost and Workforce Efficiency” to explore everything you need to know before outsourcing to Vietnam.
2. Developer Expertise in Vietnam: Levels, Skills, and Top Tech Stacks
According to the World Developer Survey, Vietnam ranks among the Top 10 countries for developer capabilities, following leading nations like the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. In addition, Vietnam secures the 2nd position globally in the Best Freelancer Survey, coming in just after the United States. This achievement highlights the high technical skills and competitiveness of Vietnamese programmers on the global stage.
Vietnam’s developer landscape features a diverse range of experience levels, from entry-level to highly specialized senior developers. More than 45% of developers are from fresher to junior level, followed by 30% of middle developers. This growing share of mid-level and senior developers signals that Vietnam’s talent pool is advancing and increasingly able to manage complex projects and innovative tech solutions.
Commonly used tech stacks among Vietnamese developers include:
- Programming languages: Javascript (Bun, NodeJS, Angular), Java (Spring Boot), Python (Django, Pandas), .NET/C#, PHP (Laravel), DevOps (Linux, Docker)
- Database: MySQL, SQL Server, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, Redis
- Cloud Platforms: AWS, Microsoft Azure, VMWare, Firebase, Google Cloud Platform
Vietnam’s developer community brings strong skills in web and mobile development, cloud computing, AI, and machine learning, making them invaluable to companies across industries. Additionally, as global adoption of low-code development grows, Vietnamese developers have built expertise with popular platforms like OutSystems, ServiceNow, and Microsoft Power Platform, allowing them to accelerate digital transformation projects for global clients.
3. Vietnamese Developer Personas: Young Generation’s Impact and Multinational Work Ethic
Vietnam’s developer workforce is increasingly shaped by Gen Z and Millennial professionals, with 28.8% of developers aged 20-24 and 29.3% aged 25-29. This demographic shift brings digital fluency, adaptability, and openness to adopting new tools and technologies, fostering a new work culture in Vietnam’s IT sector. Gen Z-Y developers, in particular, prioritize work-life balance and healthy lifestyles, and value transparency and honesty within the workplace. They seek opportunities for meaningful involvement in business processes and place high importance on personal and professional growth.
In addition to their progressive work values, Vietnamese developers have gained substantial experience working within multinational teams. As Vietnam’s IT outsourcing industry attracts more international clients, developers are adapting to a global work culture, sharpening skills that enhance their collaboration, communication, and cultural sensitivity. Vietnamese developers—especially Gen Z—are proficient in English and increasingly fluent in languages like Japanese, Korean, and Chinese. This multilingual capability enhances their effectiveness in cross-cultural environments, allowing them to communicate smoothly and bridge language barriers for international projects.
These qualities position Vietnamese developers as invaluable assets for companies looking to expand globally or tap into Vietnam’s rapidly growing IT talent pool. Their technical skills and cross-cultural agility are essential for modern businesses seeking agile, resilient, and globally-minded professionals.
4. A Growing IT Job Market
In 2023, Vietnam’s IT sector generated $150 billion in revenue, marking a substantial contribution of 14.4% to the country’s GDP. This milestone underscores the growing significance of the IT industry as a key driver of Vietnam’s economy. As a result, Vietnam’s IT job market is thriving, especially in the outsourcing sector. The rise of digital transformation across industries like banking, fintech, and manufacturing has led to a surge in demand for tech talent. An estimated 1,500 Vietnamese digital technology companies reported generating revenues from international markets. Additionally, with more global research and development (R&D) and Global Development Centers (GDC) establishing operations in Vietnam, IT professionals have access to a wide range of high-quality job opportunities.
This surge in demand is further amplified by a shortage of developers in countries like South Korea and Japan. In Korea, talent gaps are projected to reach significant numbers by 2027 across sectors such as AI (12,800), cloud computing (18,800), and big data (19,600). Japan faces an even larger challenge, with a predicted shortage of 600,000 IT engineers by 2030. Vietnamese developers are stepping up to bridge these gaps, offering cost-effective, high-quality solutions that are increasingly attractive for IT outsourcing.
With competitive salaries, a growing array of project opportunities, and international exposure, the future of Vietnam’s IT job market looks promising for developers seeking career growth and global engagement.
Finding your trustworthy Vietnamese IT talent hub
Vietnamese developers are at the forefront of the IT outsourcing industry, underpinned by a strong human resource base, advanced tech skills, and a conducive environment for digital transformation.
At VTI Group, we are proud to offer a pool of over 1,200 talented tech professionals. Many of our experts hold international-standard certifications such as PMP and AWS and are fluent in English, Korean, and Japanese. Through our comprehensive ecosystem, which includes IT education services (VTI Education, Trainocate) and IT human resource companies (HRI), we nurture and hire high-quality talent.
We maintain strong partnerships with top IT universities in Vietnam, ensuring a sustainable flow of skilled developers to meet growing client needs. Additionally, our regional subsidiaries in Japan, Korea, and Singapore allow us to support clients in their native languages and provide outsourcing solutions at competitive costs.
Ready to Harness the Power of Vietnamese Developers?
If you’re looking to elevate your IT outsourcing projects with world-class talent and cutting-edge solutions, VTI is here to help. Contact us today to discover how our global development teams and expertise can drive your business forward.
