The average monthly wage in Vietnam increased 19.6 percent to VND3.84 million (US$185) last year, according to the labor ministry.

Workers in the finance and insurance industries had the highest average salary of VND5.61 million, followed by those in the telecommunications sector, newswire VnExpress reported last week, citing a survey by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.

The agricultural and seafood sectors registered the lowest salary numbers, with their employees earning an average of VND3.78 million and VND3.85 million a month.

According to VnExpress, employees in the state-owned sector earned the highest average salary of VND4.41 million last year, compared to VND3.32 million for those in the private sector. 

As for salary variations within sectors, it was highest in foreign-owned companies. The top wage in this sector was 19.3 times higher than the lowest. The difference was eight times in the state sector and 5.5 times in the private sector. 

Deputy Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Minh Huan said the income gaps are quite large and should be narrowed.

The salary survey polled 1,660 companies with more than 15,000 employees in 17 major cities and provinces.

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