Khanh Hoa is shifting from an approach to attract personnel based on academic qualifications towards selection based on actual needs, job positions, capabilities and specific work outputs.
Rolling out the red carpet with attractive incentives
Knowledge-intensive fields targeted by Khanh Hoa, such as marine technology, microelectronics and semiconductors, artificial intelligence, data, energy and nuclear physics, require experts with specialised knowledge, the ability to conduct independent research and the capacity to apply scientific advances in practice. Attracting talent is therefore an important requirement.
Rather than relying solely on its existing workforce, the province is developing mechanisms attractive enough to retain talented people and enable them to make full use of their abilities. Academic qualifications remain a necessary criterion, but work performance, research outputs and the value of contributions are more important measures. Vo Chi Vuong, Director of the Khanh Hoa Department of Home Affairs, said income is a necessary but insufficient condition for attracting high-tech experts. More importantly, a suitable environment is needed for talented individuals to develop their careers and turn ideas into products of value to society.
In August 2026, the Khanh Hoa Provincial People’s Council adopted Resolution No. 29/2026/NQ-HĐND, which took effect in September 2026, stipulating policies to attract and develop high-quality human resources in science, technology, innovation and digital transformation. The policy targets various groups, from outstanding university graduates to experts, managers and leading scientists at home and abroad. One-off financial support for those recruited or admitted under the policy is set at 1.5 billion VND for professors, 1.2 billion VND for associate professors, 1 billion VND for doctoral degree holders, 300 million VND for master’s degree holders and 250 million VND for university graduates.
In addition to salaries and allowances prescribed by regulations, high qualified personnel will receive additional monthly income equivalent to their current salary for five years. The province also gives priority to providing official housing or offering accommodation support of up to 5 million VND per person per month during the committed period of employment.
Agencies and organisations may sign fixed-term employment contracts or contracts for specific assignments and products with high qualified personnel, with three income levels ranging from 30 million VND to 100 million VND per person per month. This mechanism broadens employment arrangements beyond traditional recruitment practices.
According to a provincial survey, demand for personnel in science, technology, innovation and digital transformation during 2026–2030 is estimated around 105, including 21 doctoral degree holders, 14 master’s degree holders, 64 university graduates with good or excellent academic results, and six professors, associate professors and senior experts. Following a review, the Department of Home Affairs identified a need to attract 79 people, mainly in digital transformation, information technology, data, artificial intelligence and key scientific and technological fields. Khanh Hoa aims to recruit the right people to the right fields to address identified workforce shortages.
The challenge is not merely to attract experts but also to build an ecosystem connecting research, training and technology application. The province currently has 22 public science and technology organisations, 24 non-public organisations, nine institutes and centres under ministries and sectors, and five universities. In 2025, 14 science and technology enterprises recorded revenue of more than 200 billion VND. The number of people engaged in scientific research is estimated at over 2,900, equivalent to around 13 people per 10,000 residents. However, the effectiveness of science and technology development also depends on the ability to establish linkages and turn knowledge into products and technologies for practical use.
Dao Xuan Ky, Deputy Director in charge of the Department of Science and Technology, said that when the different components of the ecosystem are connected, experts no longer work in isolation. Research results can be applied in businesses, creating new products, improving productivity and contributing to the economy.
In practice, the role of science, technology and innovation in Khanh Hoa’s economic growth is becoming increasingly evident. In 2025, the province scored 46.54 points on the Provincial Innovation Index (PII), ranking ninth among 34 provinces and centrally governed cities. The contribution of total factor productivity (TFP) to gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth during 2021–2025 was estimated at around 40%, higher than in the previous period.
Investing in the future
To implement policies to attract, utilise and develop high-quality human resources under its management authority, the province allocates funding equivalent to 5% of its total basic salary fund each year. Total funding for 2026–2030 is estimated at more than 173 billion VND. This represents an investment in long-term competitiveness, as developing a team of experts capable of conducting research, mastering technology and training the next generation takes time.
Phan Cong Kien, Deputy Director of the Nha Ho Research Institute for Cotton and Agriculture Development, said attracting talent is not simply a recruitment policy but should be regarded as a long-term strategy. To develop high-tech sectors, localities need to ensure adequate infrastructure, funding, research environments and personnel capable of generating new knowledge, absorbing advanced technologies and translating them into production capacity.
In an open labour market, talented people have many choices. Attractive support policies can provide an initial advantage, but retaining talent requires improvements in employment mechanisms, greater opportunities for creativity and favourable conditions for applying research findings in practice.
Nguyen Viet Hung, Chairman of the Khanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee, emphasised that attracting high qualified human resources means creating new "streams of knowledge" for the economy. Attracting talented people is only the first step; the ultimate goal is to enable them to develop their abilities and create new value. When knowledge is applied in businesses, production, management and daily life, science and technology will become direct resources for improving productivity, creating new products and promoting sustainable growth in Khanh Hoa.
