Recruitment demand in the textile and garment industry has risen by 50% to 60% in the first and second quarter of 2021 compared to the same periods last year, reports Vietnam News, citing research from Navigos Group. Demand soared mainly for middle and senior management positions. The effectiveness of free trade agreements, especially the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, has helped to increase export orders for textile and garment enterprises in Vietnam which led to high recruitment demand in the first and second quarter. Navigos Group said that besides high demand in the textile and garment industry, some companies in the IT industry this year will have 20% to 25% more demand compared to 2020. The first quarter of 2021 saw growth in labour demand at IT companies, especially in outsourcing and product segments, with plans to expand the scope of operations and business. As financial services enterprises are in the process of digital transformation, there is a very high demand for IT positions, Navigos found. Recruitment requests from these IT companies often focus on Vietnamese candidates.