The dialogue took place at the annual conference titled "Hanoi Chairman Meets and Engages with Workers in 2026," jointly organized by the Hanoi People's Committee and the Hanoi Labor Federation.

Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Vu Dai Thang (center) chairs the dialogue conference with workers. Photo: Pham Linh

Addressing digital transformation challenges in social welfare services

One of the issues attracting significant attention was the implementation of electronic social insurance records at healthcare facilities.

Workers noted that many major hospitals now issue sick leave certificates and discharge papers electronically, complete with digital signatures and verification codes, while also connecting directly to the health insurance assessment system.

However, when applying for sickness or maternity benefits, some social insurance offices have reportedly refused to accept printed copies generated from valid electronic records, citing a lack of unified guidance or incomplete system integration.

As a result, workers often have to return to hospitals to obtain traditional paper confirmations, creating additional administrative burdens and delays.

Participants urged relevant agencies to issue official guidance recognizing digitally signed electronic records and allowing printed copies with verification codes to be accepted while data integration between the healthcare and social insurance systems is being completed.

Workers raise concerns and recommendations during the conference. Photo: Le Hai

Workers also highlighted the growing impact of digital transformation and artificial intelligence on the labor market, stressing the urgent need for vocational upgrading and digital skills training.

Several participants proposed establishing stronger links between labor demand, particularly from high-tech foreign-invested enterprises, and vocational training institutions. They also called for additional support programs to help workers and businesses develop digital competencies and AI-related skills to improve productivity and reduce the risk of job displacement.

Another concern raised during the conference was the continued occurrence of fatal workplace accidents, many involving workers without formal labor contracts.

Participants suggested that the city introduce emergency assistance mechanisms for families affected by workplace accidents to help them cope with hardship and demonstrate the government's commitment to protecting the workforce.

Hanoi Social Insurance Director Nguyen Ngoc Huyen addresses the conference. Photo: Le Hai

Responding to questions about electronic social insurance records, Hanoi Social Insurance Director Nguyen Ngoc Huyen said Vietnam Social Security is currently upgrading and synchronizing digital systems to enable fully electronic processing of social insurance claims under Decision No. 313/QD-BHXH dated March 27, 2026.

While the system is being completed, Hanoi Social Insurance has sought guidance from the national agency and is coordinating with healthcare providers to continue issuing legally valid paper documents to ensure uninterrupted benefit payments.

Regarding worker training, labor retention and support for accident victims, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Home Affairs Nguyen Tay Nam said the revised 2026 Capital Law introduces a number of special mechanisms to develop high-quality human resources.

According to Nam, Articles 25 and 26 establish policies for attracting and developing digital talent and workers in strategic sectors, while also supporting workforce development linked to major investment projects.

These provisions will provide a legal basis for Hanoi to develop training programs tailored to the needs of high-tech foreign-invested enterprises.

The city is also encouraging businesses to expand training and retraining efforts and cooperate with vocational institutions to provide professional, digital and AI-related skills training that aligns with evolving labor market demands.

Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Home Affairs Nguyen Tay Nam speaks at the conference. Photo: Le Hai

On workplace accident support, Nam said Hanoi is finalizing a draft resolution on social welfare assistance that is expected to be submitted to the municipal People's Council in June 2026.

In addition to support for workers injured in workplace accidents, the proposal would expand emergency assistance programs for people suffering serious injuries or families affected by natural disasters, fires, traffic accidents and other unexpected circumstances.

To strengthen workforce retention, Hanoi has already issued Plan No. 155/KH-UBND dated April 16, 2026, on labor market development for the 2026-2030 period.

The plan focuses on vocational training, digital skills, foreign languages and AI integration, while supporting career transitions associated with digital and green transformation.

The city is also continuing to expand social security coverage, including social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance, while strengthening enforcement against delayed or unpaid insurance contributions.

In addition, Hanoi is promoting digital transformation in the social welfare sector through the VssID digital social insurance platform, making benefit management more transparent and convenient for workers and businesses.

Housing, schools and stable living conditions remain key concerns

Educational opportunities for workers' children also emerged as a major topic during the conference.

Representatives noted that Gia Lam Commune currently faces pressure on public high school enrollment because the number of schools and available places has not kept pace with rapid population growth and urbanization.

Many worker families are forced to send their children to private schools with significantly higher tuition costs, creating additional financial pressure for low- and middle-income households.

Workers therefore called on the city to expand the public high school system and increase enrollment capacity to provide more affordable educational opportunities.

Responding to the issue, Hanoi Department of Education and Training Director Nguyen Van Hien said Gia Lam, with a population of around 90,000, currently has two public high schools: Duong Xa High School and Cao Ba Quat High School.

Together, the schools operate 91 classes serving 4,125 students, averaging 45.3 students per class.

Under current planning standards, one public high school is generally allocated for every 30,000 to 50,000 residents, meaning the existing network broadly meets demand.

However, Hien acknowledged that rapid urbanization and population growth, particularly in new urban areas and worker housing zones, continue to place pressure on grade 10 admissions.

The department has therefore requested local authorities to identify additional land suitable for future public high school development.

Expanding social housing for workers

Housing was another major concern raised during the dialogue.

Participants noted that Hanoi currently has approximately 2.7 million workers, more than 70% of whom live in rented accommodations.

When combined with students, freelance workers and other groups, an estimated one-quarter of the capital's population resides in rental housing or communities with limited infrastructure.

Workers argued that while this population plays a vital role in the city's economic development, access to safe and stable housing remains inadequate.

They urged the city to clarify long-term land-use plans for worker housing and introduce additional mechanisms to expand social and worker housing projects.

Responding to these concerns, Hanoi Department of Planning and Architecture Director Nguyen Trong Ky Anh said the city approved its 100-year Capital Master Plan on May 13, 2026, under Decision No. 2512/QD-UBND.

Under the plan, Hanoi will prioritize large-scale social housing developments with integrated technical and social infrastructure located near public transportation networks, particularly urban railway lines, to serve low-income residents and industrial workers.

Ky Anh said land allocation for trade union facilities, social housing and worker housing has already been incorporated into industrial zone planning, the 2021-2030 housing development program and the national initiative to build at least one million social housing units for low-income households and industrial workers.

The city has currently designated 19 land sites for concentrated social housing development, covering a combined 995 hectares.

In addition, Hanoi, together with the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of National Defense, has approved investment policies for more than 90 social housing projects covering around 200 hectares.

About 30 of those projects are already under construction, while the remainder are completing procedures and are expected to break ground during 2026.

To implement the Capital Master Plan, Hanoi issued a proposal on May 25, 2026, for the development of multi-purpose urban areas linked to nine major growth corridors across the capital.

Under the proposal, social housing is expected to account for approximately 20% of total residential floor space, while resettlement and public-service housing would represent 40-50%, and commercial housing 30-40%.

The city also plans to increase the share of rental and rent-to-own housing to better accommodate the diverse needs of residents and workers.

Hanoi is currently developing two large-scale multi-purpose urban projects: North Thang Long Urban City, spanning about 468 hectares in Thien Loc, Phuc Thinh and Me Linh communes, and another multi-purpose urban area covering nearly 737 hectares in Thu Lam and Dong Anh communes.

To date, the city has approximately 92 social housing projects under development, covering a combined area of 1,405 hectares, offering a mix of units for sale, rent and rent-to-own arrangements aimed at meeting the housing needs of workers, students and low-income residents across the capital.