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The year 2025 holds special significance as the final year of implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress and the 2021–2025 socio-economic development plan.

It is also the first year of operating the two-tier local government model.

During this period, the VSS system was reorganised under a new structure as a specialised unit under the Ministry of Finance, with its operations more closely aligned with fiscal policy management and national social security administration.

In this context, despite mounting pressures from the labour market, business production and operations as well as adverse impacts from natural disasters and storms, VSS civil servants and employees have demonstrated strong determination and concerted efforts to effectively carry out key tasks, particularly those related to revenue collection and expanding participation.

Coverage of social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance continued to expand, exceeded Government-assigned targets and maintained sustainable growth compared to the previous year.

The social insurance participation rate increased from 42.71 per cent of the labour force under working-age in 2024 to 45.1 per cent by the end of 2025, a surge of 2.39 percentage points.

Of this total, compulsory social insurance accounted for about 38.6 per cent while voluntary social insurance represented 6.5 per cent of the working-age labour force.

Unemployment insurance coverage also increased, from 34.18 per cent of the working-age labour force in 2024 to 35.07 per cent in 2025, reflecting positive signs of labour market recovery as well as effective management and participant development.

Meanwhile, health insurance coverage remained high, rising from 94.29 per cent of the population in 2024 to 95.16 per cent in 2025, steadily approaching the goal of universal health insurance.

These results demonstrate that the social security safety net has been expanded in both breadth and depth, not only increasing the number of participants but also strengthening the sustainability and stability of insurance funds.

Significant efforts were made to tighten control over social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance arrears.

Late and outstanding payments have been gradually brought under control and reduced.

Total revenue in 2025 was estimated at over VND630 trillion, exceeding the Government-assigned target by more than 8.3 per cent and increasing by over 15.1 per cent compared to 2024.

Social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance funds have continued to be safeguarded, ensuring sufficient capacity to pay benefits and policies fully and on time to participants and beneficiaries.

Against a backdrop of persistent challenges, VSS’ achievements in revenue collection and the expansion of participation in social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance in 2025 by VSS are highly commendable.

These outcomes reflect the effective direction and management of the Government and the Ministry of Finance, the strong leadership of VSS, the determination and efforts of the entire VSS system as well as close coordination among ministries, sectors and localities, and the consensus and support of units, enterprises and the public.

Together, they further affirm the role of social insurance and health insurance as key pillars of the national social security system.

Achievements in revenue collection and participant development in 2025 can be attributed to several factors.

First, they stem from decisive, practical and consistent leadership and management across the VSS system from central leadership to professional units, provincial and municipal VSS offices and grassroots-level agencies.

From the beginning of the year, VSS developed programmes, plans and operational scenarios tailored to local conditions, assigning specific revenue and participant development targets to each level.

Progress was monitored and evaluated monthly and quarterly, enabling timely resolution of emerging difficulties and avoiding end-of-year pressure.

VSS maintained a consistent viewpoint that was to identify revenue collection and participant development as a key political task with foundational importance in expanding the social security safety net.

Second, inspection and debt control were implemented firmly yet humanely. Violations such as evasion and deliberate non-payment were strictly handled in accordance with the law, while support and guidance were provided to enterprises facing objective difficulties, helping them follow appropriate remediation roadmaps to safeguard workers’ legitimate social security rights.

This approach allowed VSS to strictly enforce social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance laws while also creating favourable conditions for businesses to recover and grow.

Third, the application of information technology and digital transformation in revenue collection and participant development can be taken into account.

Data connectivity and sharing between VSS and tax, labour, population, planning and investment authorities have enabled a clearer picture of local labour and employment situations, helping identify groups of insurance members and non-members and devise appropriate, effective solutions.

Online public services and electronic transactions have been improved and expanded, reducing costs and processing time for enterprises and citizens while also facilitating access to, participation in and enjoyment of social security policies.

Communication and outreach efforts to encourage participation were significantly renewed, with the responsibility of the entire grassroots political system integrated into the organisation and implementation of social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance policies.

Beyond traditional and modern media channels, VSS has closely coordinated with local Party committees and authorities, the Fatherland Front, socio-political organisations and networks supporting the development of insurance participants to reach workers in the informal sector, household businesses, farmers and freelance workers.

Many localities have incorporated participant development targets into resolutions of People’s Councils and People’s Committees at all levels, organising intensive communication, outreach, dialogue and direct consultation campaigns.

These approaches have brought about clear changes in public awareness and behaviour toward the humane social security policies of the Party and the State./.