Vietnam scores low on global ranking of talent attraction

The country scored 35.55 out of 100, slightly over its lower-income peers, and showed to be better at enabling talents than attracting or retaining them, according the Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI), an annual report compiled by international business school INSEAD with The Adecco Group and Tata Communications.

Vietnamese wear nationalistic garbs while watching a football game in Hanoi, January 27, 2018. Photo by Reuters/Kham

Political stability, good government-business relations, ease of hiring, personal safety and the use of virtual social networks are factors that are helping to boost Vietnam’s talent competitiveness.

But the country is challenged by a variety of limits in terms of technology infrastructure, research expenditure, international students and environmental performance.

Vietnam has some outstanding elements. Its reading, science and math skills rank as high as 19th worldwide, while its high-value exports rank 6th.

Last year, Vietnam was ranked 86th out of 118 countries on the index.

The fifth GTCI edition still shows that countries’ talent attraction goes almost in parallel with their economic status, with high-income countries taking the lead. European countries continue to dominate the ranking, accounting for 16 of the top 25. 

Switzerland maintains its position at the top, followed by Singapore and the US, the only non-European countries in the top 10.

The United States has long benefitted from global talent, while Singapore has a clear focus on becoming a talent hub, said the GTCI report.

Southeast Asia has some other strong performers. Malaysia (27th) is the top-ranked country in the group of upper-middle-income countries, standing above high-income countries such as Slovenia, Portugal and the Republic of  Korea. The Philippines (54th) leads the lower-middle-income group that includes Vietnam, coming above Trinidad and Tobago, Oman and Kuwait.