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The Lunar New Year (Tet) bonus for the Year of the Horse 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City continues to show a large disparity among businesses, with the highest bonus reaching over 1.8 billion VND per person, while the lowest is just under 1 million VND per person – Illustrative image.

According to the latest report from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Home Affairs, as of December 25, 3,802 businesses with over 694,303 employees in the city have reported their bonus plans for the 2025 New Year and the Lunar New Year (Tet) for the Year of the Horse 2026.

For the Lunar New Year, the average bonus is expected to reach about 12.02 million VND per person, an increase of 6.8% compared to the previous Lunar New Year. The highest recorded bonus is at a foreign-invested enterprise, reaching 1.841 billion VND per person, while the lowest is only about 0.88 million VND per person.

For the 2026 New Year, the average bonus reaches about 1.93 million VND per person, an increase of 10.5% compared to 2025. The highest bonus is over 1.1 billion VND per person, while the lowest is only about 750,000 VND per person.

According to the report, businesses with high bonuses mainly operate in the fields of electronics, information technology, software development, food processing, and real estate. Conversely, small-scale manufacturing businesses that employ many unskilled workers have significantly lower bonuses.

Notably, among the businesses that submitted reports, 719 businesses (accounting for nearly 19%) stated they faced difficulties in arranging Tet bonuses.

The reasons are due to ongoing difficulties in production and business activities throughout the year. Reduced orders forced businesses to scale back operations, making it hard to recover debts and pay loan interest… affecting the annual business results and bonus planning.

Nevertheless, the majority of businesses still strive to maintain Tet bonuses for their employees according to regulations and collective labor agreements.

In addition to monetary bonuses, over 50% of businesses stated they would implement additional Tet care activities such as giving gifts, providing travel ticket support, organizing shuttle buses, or visiting employees in difficult circumstances.

The Lunar New Year holiday for the Year of the Horse 2026 at many businesses is expected to last from 8 to 9 days.

The foreign-invested enterprise (FDI) sector in Quang Ngai leads in the Lunar New Year bonus for the Year of the Horse 2026, with the highest recorded bonus being over 205 million VND per person, while the lowest bonus is only a few hundred thousand VND.

Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, is Vietnam’s largest and most dynamic metropolis. It served as the capital of French Indochina and later South Vietnam, with its history deeply marked by the Vietnam War, culminating in the Fall of Saigon in 1975. Today, it is a major economic hub where modern skyscrapers stand alongside historic French colonial landmarks like the Central Post Office and Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica.

Year of the Horse 2026

“Year of the Horse 2026” refers not to a physical place, but to the upcoming Chinese Zodiac year, which will begin on February 17, 2026, and end on February 5, 2027. In Chinese culture, the Horse is the seventh animal in the 12-year zodiac cycle and is traditionally associated with attributes like energy, freedom, and success. The zodiac system has ancient origins, with roots in Chinese astronomy and calendar traditions dating back over 2,000 years.

Lunar New Year (Tet)

Lunar New Year, known as Tết Nguyên Đán in Vietnam, is the country’s most important and festive annual celebration, marking the arrival of spring based on the lunisolar calendar. Its traditions, deeply rooted in agricultural life and Vietnamese folklore, are centered on family reunions, honoring ancestors, and rituals meant to bring luck and prosperity for the coming year. While its core customs date back centuries, modern Tết celebrations blend these ancient practices—such as preparing bánh chưng (square sticky rice cakes) and visiting temples—with contemporary family gatherings and public festivities.

Tet

“Tet,” short for Tết Nguyên Đán, is the most important and widely celebrated festival in Vietnam, marking the Lunar New Year. Rooted in ancient agrarian traditions, it is a time to honor ancestors, reunite with family, and welcome the coming spring with rituals, special foods, and wishes for luck and prosperity.