Vietnam Long An entry guide 2026 — HCMC-adjacent, industrial parks, labor cost

7 key takeaways

• Long An borders Ho Chi Minh City to the west and, with ample industrial-park land and its own international port, serves as a "hinterland" for southern-economic-zone production.
• Korea is Long An's 2nd-largest foreign investor (~US$900M), and a dedicated Korean industrial park and enterprise service center have been proposed (press aggregate).
• So the opportunity is downstream supply/processing in textiles/garments, food/beverage, plastics and machinery/electronics assembly, plus southern logistics.
• The core IZ districts (Duc Hoa, Ben Luc, Can Giuoc, Tan An) were upgraded to minimum-wage Region I in 2024 — the same floor as HCMC (outer districts are Region II/III).
• Manufacturing pay nationally runs ~$302/month for a worker, $564 engineer, $1,146 manager (JETRO 2024); Long An is not separately surveyed, so estimate with the Region-I floor (actual pay tends to be below HCMC).
• Logistics is a strength — the IZ belt is ~25–40 km from HCMC, ~30–40 km from Tan Son Nhat airport, and Long An International Port (opened 2023) plus Cai Mep deep-water port (~80–90 km) are available.
• Ready-built-factory infrastructure (e.g. Kizuna) makes early entry easy for Korean/Japanese SMEs.

Note: in the 2025 administrative reorganization Long An was merged into Tay Ninh province, but the industrial parks, sites and minimum-wage zones remain unchanged.

5 questions this guide answers

• Does Long An fit our sector (textiles, food, plastics, assembly)?
• What are the real labor and minimum-wage (Region I) levels?
• Which industrial park, and via which entry mode?
• How do we manage emerging-area infrastructure/labor variance?
• What do we need to start entering?

Why Long An — HCMC's low-cost hinterland

Long An, adjacent to HCMC with ample park land, is emerging as a southern FDI base for Korean firms. As Binh Duong and Dong Nai grow crowded, cost-seeking Korean firms choose Long An for lower land and labor costs. Korea is Long An's 2nd-largest foreign investor, and the ready-built-factory operator Kizuna (Tan Kim IZ, Can Giuoc) hosts many Korean/Japanese SMEs.

The core is the combination of "HCMC-adjacent + cost competitiveness + its own port." The Long An International Port, opened in 2023, widened southern logistics options.

Key industrial parks

Ready-built factories (Kizuna etc.) have low upfront and administrative burden, so SMEs enter quickly. For port logistics, prioritize Long Hau (near Long An International Port).

Labor cost and minimum wage

Read labor cost in three layers: (1) the regional statutory minimum wage (the floor), (2) actual pay by role, and (3) employer contributions on top.

Regional minimum wage (from 1 Jul 2024, Decree 74/2024)

The core Long An IZ districts (Duc Hoa, Ben Luc, Can Giuoc, Tan An) were upgraded in 2024 to Region I, the same floor as HCMC. Can Duoc/Thu Thua are Region II and outer districts Region III.

Actual manufacturing pay by role (JETRO 2024, monthly base USD)

Long An is not separately listed in JETRO; estimate from the Region-I floor plus the national worker mean $302 (estimate). Actual pay tends to be below HCMC.

On top, an employer adds social insurance 17.5% + health 3% + unemployment 1% ≈ 21.5% (≈23.5% including the 2% trade-union fee), capped at 20× the base. Bonuses, benefits, office and equipment are separate.

Logistics & access

• ~25–40 km to HCMC (IZ belt) — good access to the southern market and labor.
• ~30–40 km to Tan Son Nhat International Airport.
• Long An International Port (Can Giuoc, Soai Rap River): 7 berths, ~1,000,000 TEU capacity, opened 2023 — own-port logistics.
• ~80–90 km to the Cai Mep–Thi Vai deep-water port for large-container trade.

Entry opportunities for Korean companies

• Downstream supply/processing/inputs for the textile/garment value chain.
• Food/beverage processing, plastics/packaging.
• Machinery/electronics-assembly downstream supply.
• Logistics/warehousing near Long An International Port and services for Korean firms.

Entry modes & process

• Ready-built factory (RBF, Kizuna etc.) / sublease: minimal upfront and admin burden — best for SME entry.
• Entity + land lease inside a park: mid/long-term production and self-control.
• Partner / joint venture: secure permits, labor and channel access — use Partner Search →.
• Process: confirm site/infrastructure/incentives → IRC/ERC → environment/fire/construction permits → labor and tax setup.

Risk & control checklist

• Emerging-area infrastructure/labor variance: diligence power, water and skilled-labor lead times (vs Binh Duong/Dong Nai).
• Permitting/administrative maturity: varies by park — RBFs can mitigate.
• Region-I labor cost: the same statutory floor as HCMC — reflect in cost scenarios.
• Logistics choice: Long An International Port vs Cai Mep/Cat Lai — decide by sector and volume.
• Minimum-wage hikes and environment rules: check upfront and reflect in scenarios.

Decision guide — is Long An right?

• HCMC-adjacent + cost savings, textiles/food/plastics/assembly → strong fit.
• Want to start fast and light with a ready-built factory → Kizuna etc. are optimal.
• Deep-water-port large-export logistics is top priority → compare Ba Ria–Vung Tau (Cai Mep) and Hai Phong.
• Want finished large industrial infrastructure and skilled labor → compare Binh Duong/Dong Nai.

90-day action plan

• Days 0–30: define sector/goal, compare Long Hau/Tan Kim/Duc Hoa parks, ready-built factories and incentives, shortlist 3 buyers/partners.
• Days 31–60: on-site diligence (site, power, labor, permits, port access), review RBF/land options, prepare quality/environment materials.
• Days 61–90: start investment registration (IRC/ERC) or an RBF move-in/pilot, set up labor/tax, decide to scale (go/no-go).

Frequently asked questions

Next step

Long An entry means weighing HCMC-adjacency and cost competitiveness against logistics (its own international port). Use the free assessment below to outline the right park, entry mode and cost range for your company. See also the Vietnam entry map → and the Binh Duong entry guide →.