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Migration dynamics in Vietnam are experiencing a significant turning point, as a growing number of Vietnamese, particularly younger ones, choose to leave the cities to resettle in the campaigns. This movement, motivated by the search for a less expensive and more serene, raises questions about the social and economic transformations underway. Urban life, often synonymous with precariousness and stress, pushes many workers to consider returning to their roots, in the hope of improving their quality of life and reconnecting with their cultural identity.
In recent years, Vietnam has experienced a phenomenon of internal migration which redefines the socio-economic dynamics of the country. Under the pressure of the costs of living in the city and increasingly precarious working conditions, a growing part of the population, particularly young people, is choosing to leave large urban centers such as Ho Chi Minh City to return to their hometowns or settle in rural areas. This article looks at this movement and its cultural and economic implications.
Growing cities and declining countryside
Ho Chi Minh City, today one of the most dynamic metropolises in Asia, is home to a population that is growing at a breakneck pace. Established on an area 20 times larger than that of Paris, the city has attracted millions of migrants since the country opened to the market economy in the 1980s. However, over time, the urban dream begins to take shape. tarnish. Young graduates, after experiencing city life, realize that the expected advantages do not compensate for the high living costs and difficult working conditions. A return to the countryside appears to be an attractive solution.
A restrictive work environment
The life of a worker in Ho Chi Minh City is often marked by long and arduous working days. For example, a mother, a worker in a textile factory, gets up before dawn to return home after an exhausting day. For a salary slightly above average, monthly costs accumulate, weighing on daily life. She confides her decision to return to the countryside for personal and economic reasons: “I decided to come back and live in my hometown. Firstly, to be near my mother who needs me. And then, I know a company that could hire me.” This testimony illustrates a trend in search of a better quality of life far from the urban tumult.
The dynamics of the rural exodus
While the countryside attracts city dwellers, it is interesting to note that more than 60% of workers in Ho Chi Minh City are considering leaving the city. On the one hand, the prices of housing and consumer goods have exploded, making life in urban areas increasingly unsustainable. On the other hand, the stability that rural life promises becomes an attractive option, particularly for workers who can find their families and a support network there. Beyond economic opportunities, this movement is also motivated by a desire to recover cultural roots and a less stressful outlook on life.
Economic and cultural repercussions
Migration from cities to the countryside in Vietnam has profound repercussions on the local economy and culture. Rural areas, once impoverished by the massive departure of young people to the cities, are beginning to experience revitalization thanks to the return of these migrants. This makes it possible to rebalance populations and initiate the development of new economic activities. At the same time, emerging tensions between urban and rural values raise the question of identity and social cohesion. This return to the land, although driven by economic reasons, also implies a movement towards a reconnection with traditions and a different socio-cultural way of life.
The road ahead
If the urban exodus in Vietnam opens up interesting prospects for rural areas, several challenges persist. All needs in terms of infrastructure, access to professional training and health care services must be taken into account to ensure successful integration of migrants into their new environments. Furthermore, measures must be implemented to stimulate the local economy and avoid a return to exodus towards the cities.
Find the full report on the migration of Vietnamese to the countryside in media and analytical work. To further explore these issues, also consult the articles in Franceinfo And Viral Mag.
FAQs on urban to rural migration in Vietnam
Q: Why are more and more Vietnamese leaving the cities?
A: Many Vietnamese, especially young people, choose to return to the countryside to benefit from a less expensive living environment and to escape the precariousness of urban conditions.
Q: What is the situation of the worker mentioned in the article?
A: The worker lives in a 10 m² apartment in Ho Chi Minh City with her husband and daughter, and she refuses to continue to endure this precariousness. She earns a salary slightly above the average salary, which makes city life difficult.
Q: What motivates Vietnamese people to return to their hometown?
A: Motivations include the need to be near family, as in the case of the sick mother, as well as the prospect of employment opportunities at local businesses.
Q: What is the economic context that drives this migration?
A: Since Vietnam opened to a market economy in the late 1980s, millions of young people have migrated to cities for work, but rising living costs without fair compensation are now pushing many workers to consider returning to the countryside.
Q: How does internal migration affect major Vietnamese cities?
A: Large cities, such as Ho Chi Minh City, are experiencing saturation, with a decline in the number of new migrants and growing concerns about living costs.