Upcoming National Economic Census

Economic censuses are typically conducted every five years. As per the decision issued by the Minister of Finance, the survey targets conglomerates, corporations, businesses, cooperatives, people’s credit funds, non-public service units, associations, non-agricultural, forestry, and fishery individual business entities, cooperative groups, religious and belief establishments, as well as branches and representative offices of foreign enterprises and non-governmental organizations in Vietnam.

The census focuses on collecting five key information groups: identification and classification of units; production and business conditions such as labor, assets, and capital; production and business outcomes including products, revenue, and expenses; the level of application of science and technology, digital economy, and e-commerce; and specialized in-depth information for management and analysis.

A significant innovation in the 2026 census is the maximum utilization of existing administrative data sources, combined with the application of information technology throughout the data collection, processing, and synthesis process. This approach aims to reduce costs, enhance efficiency, and ensure the accuracy and transparency of the results.

The data collection period is divided into two phases: Phase 1, from January 5 to March 31, 2026, focuses on non-agricultural, forestry, and fishery individual business entities, cooperative groups, and religious and belief establishments.

Phase 2, from April 1 to August 31, 2026, targets enterprises, non-public service units, associations, production and business units under administrative agencies, public service units, and branches and representative offices of foreign enterprises and non-governmental organizations.

The Prime Minister will establish a Central Steering Committee for the 2026 Economic Census to provide unified guidance for nationwide implementation. This committee will coordinate with the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Home Affairs, and local authorities through provincial and communal-level steering committees.

Preliminary results are expected to be announced in January 2027, with the official results released in the third quarter of 2027. These findings will support the assessment and formulation of socio-economic development policies aligned with the country’s new phase.