TTLV: Adaptation of ethnic minority workers to housing conditions in some industrial zones in Hanoi

INFORMATION ABOUT THE MASTER'S THESIS

1. Student's full name: NGUYEN THANH TRUNG 2. Gender: Male

3. Date of birth: December 26, 2000 4. Place of birth: Hanoi

5. Decision No. 5626/QD/XHNV dated December 29, 2023, of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, recognizing the student.

6. Changes in the training process: None

7. Thesis title: Adaptation of ethnic minority workers to housing conditions in some industrial zones in Hanoi.

8. Major: Anthropology (Research-Oriented) Code: 8310302

9. Scientific supervisors: Dr. Tran Minh Hang and Dr. Phan Thi Ngoc - Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi

10. Summary of the thesis results:

This thesis focuses on clarifying the current situation and adaptation strategies regarding housing in the context of industrialization and urbanization in Hanoi, with the rapid increase in industrial zones and the influx of migrant workers, a significant portion of whom are ethnic minority workers. At the social security level, housing is not only a basic need but also a crucial link determining the quality of life, labor productivity, and long-term commitment to the city for ethnic minority workers.

The overall picture shows that the majority of ethnic minority workers rent accommodation in residential areas or private lodging near industrial zones. Private lodging has become the dominant choice due to its flexibility, diverse prices, and convenient location for commuting to work, while options such as self-purchased housing, company-owned housing, or corporate dormitories account for only a small percentage. The quality of rented rooms varies greatly according to rental prices – which are set by landlords based on the time of construction, amenities, room size, and location; common are rooms with limited space, private or shared bathrooms, basic amenities, little shared living space, and inconsistent minimum standards for ventilation, clean water, or fire safety. The housing configuration of workers varies according to gender, age, marital status, presence of young children, and length of time living in the city; single people are more likely to accept small, shared spaces; Nuclear families prioritize the security, convenience, and relative stability of an apartment or a solid house.

The Kim Chung social housing project in Kim Chung commune, Dong Anh district (now Thien Loc commune) provides a case study for observing how state-funded housing for industrial zone workers operates. The project was initiated in the late 2000s and gradually completed over the following decade, encompassing dozens of units and combining two operational models: renting apartments to families and renting five-story buildings to businesses operating as dormitories. During operation, while contributing to providing affordable housing near workplaces, the maintenance and repair mechanisms, resident management procedures, and flexibility in booking based on seasonal orders revealed bottlenecks that reduced business interest and led to an increasing vacancy rate. Compared to the actual needs of workers, especially those with young children, the number of family rentals was still insufficient, while the dormitory model required improved service quality and stricter operational discipline. Furthermore, it is very difficult for ethnic minority workers to purchase social housing without going through intermediaries due to complicated administrative procedures and a lack of connections.

Private lodging areas around the Thang Long Industrial Park – typically in Bau village and surrounding residential clusters – form a dense network of accommodations, running along small alleys and interspersed with local residents' homes. The common model involves landlords living in the same compound as tenants but with separate entrances; electricity and water are charged separately by meter or by agreement; low deposit costs and flexible rental terms make them suitable for workers who work shifts or seasonal orders. However, this spontaneous development leads to uneven quality, risks of fire and explosion hazards, environmental hygiene issues, and a lack of friendly communal spaces for family life, especially for young children.

The factors shaping housing choices stem primarily from income and affordability. The average income of worker households in the survey sample is only moderately high compared to the urban average; rental expenses typically hover around one-tenth of income, but vary depending on the type and level of amenities. Distance to the factory and shift schedules are the most sensitive variables influencing the decision to choose accommodation near the industrial park gate to reduce commuting time and costs, especially for night shifts. Family circumstances, urban residency cycles, and ethnic and cultural differences further influence choices: families with young children prioritize security, schools, and living space, while some lifestyles lead workers to desire proximity to fellow countrymen to share costs and provide emotional support. Social networks therefore become a crucial anchoring mechanism, helping new immigrants quickly access information on accommodation, jobs, and basic services, while also creating a sense of security in an unfamiliar environment. However, the network itself can also trap workers in a cycle of cheap housing if there is a lack of mechanisms to guide them to formal housing funds or appropriate payment support packages.

Research shows that ethnic minority migrants in industrial zones adapt quite slowly to housing issues: in the early years of urban residence, the majority of ethnic minority workers stayed in single-story houses or self-built concrete houses in residential areas, with a modest percentage living in apartments or condominiums; later, as savings increased and social networks became more stable, a portion began to shift to more stable housing, but the pace of transition was hampered by high urban costs and the priority of sending money back home. Cultural adaptation is reflected in adjusting schedules to shift work, learning to utilize cramped spaces, compromising with common conventions in multi-regional and multi-ethnic boarding houses, while continuing to maintain core cultural practices at a minimalist level. Financially, the common strategy is to limit housing spending to a manageable level to leave room for essential expenses and savings, but shocks such as illness or reduced orders can quickly push households into a vulnerable position, leading to housing instability. The most frequently sought-after support channels remain friends and fellow villagers; followed by local trade unions, landlords, and local authorities, while access to information and procedures for social housing is limited in both accessibility and timeliness.

The main contribution of this thesis is to provide updated information on the housing situation of ethnic minority workers in Hanoi, showing the dominant role of private lodging areas, bottlenecks in the operation of social housing funds at the typical site of Kim Chung, and the slow adaptation of workers to the urbanization process.

Overall, the thesis asserts that to sustainably improve the quality of life and the ability of ethnic minority workers to commit to urban areas, a comprehensive package of solutions is needed that simultaneously improves the quality and affordability of housing, simplifies access to official housing funds, and strengthens support networks in their destinations. This will transform housing from one of the most difficult problems to solve into a foundation for social inclusion for ethnic minority workers and for economic and industrial development in the locality and society.

11. Practical applications:

The research topic of this thesis is not only of scientific value but also of practical value, especially in the process of advising government agencies at all levels and businesses on policy matters. For example:

-完善政策，政策加强材 ...

- Support for planning and designing sustainable housing models.

- Improve the efficiency of residence management and social services.

- Improve the quality of life and welfare of workers.

- Provides a basis for businesses to implement better and more reasonable human resources and benefits policies.

- Contributing to the management of sustainable urban and industrial development.

12. Future research directions:

In the future, the research will be expanded to other aspects of social security for workers in industrial zones. In addition, the author also plans to conduct surveys at the point of origin to analyze the socio-economic changes in the migrant community when workers leave the area. Combining research at both the destination and origin points is expected to help better understand the overall impact of migration on workers and related communities.

13. Published works related to the thesis: "Housing for ethnic minority migrant workers in some industrial zones in Hanoi," published onJournal of Ethnology and Religious StudiesNo. 2 (02), 2025, pp. 59-69.

INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS

1. Full name: NGUYEN THANH TRUNG 2. Sex: Male

3. Date of birth: December 26, 2000 4. Place of birth: Hanoi

5. Admission decision number 5626/ QD/ XHNV, Dated: December 29, 2023

6. Changes in academic process: None

7. Official thesis title: Adaptation of Ethnic Minority Workers to Housing Conditions in Some Industrial Zones in Hanoi

8. Major: Anthropology 9. Code: 8310302

10. Supervisors: PhD. Tran Minh Hang and PhD. Phan Thi Ngoc

11. Summary of the findings of the thesis:

The thesis focuses on elucidating the current housing conditions and adaptive strategies of migrant workers in the context of industrialization and urbanization in Hanoi, where the rapid expansion of industrial zones has attracted large flows of migrant labor, including a significant proportion of ethnic minority workers. At the level of social welfare, housing is not only a basic need but also a crucial determinant of living quality, work productivity, and the ability of ethnic minority workers to establish long-term attachment to the city.

Overall, most ethnic minority workers rent rooms in residential clusters or private boarding houses near industrial zones. Private rental housing has become the dominant option due to its flexibility, varied pricing, and convenient location, while forms such as self-owned housing, company dormitories, or enterprise-run hostels account for only a small share. Rental quality varies widely on price—typically determined by the time of construction, available amenities, room size, and location. Common features include small rooms, self-contained or shared bathrooms, basic utilities, limited shared space, and inconsistent standards of ventilation, clean water, and fire safety. Housing configurations differ according to gender, age, marital status, the presence of young children, and length of urban residence; single workers tend to accept smaller or shared spaces, while nuclear families prioritize security, amenities, and the relative stability of solid-built houses or apartments.

The case of the Kim Chung Social Housing Complex in Kim Chung Commune, Dong Anh District (now Thien Loc Commune) provides an illustrative example of how state-invested housing for industrial workers is organized. Initiated in the late 2000s and gradually completed in the following decade, the project comprises dozens of buildings operating under two models: apartment units rented directly to worker household, and five-story blocks leased to enterprises to run hostel-style accommodations. Despite offering reasonably priced housing close to workplaces, operational issues—such as maintenance mechanisms, residence management procedures, and the rigidity of seasonal booking arrangements—have resulted in decreasing enterprise interest and rising vacancy rates over time. Compared to actual worker needs, particularly among households with young children, the quota of family rental units remains insufficient, while the hostel model requires significant upgrades in service quality and operational discipline. In addition, ethnic minority workers face considerable difficulty purchasing social housing without intermediaries due to complex administrative procedures and limited connections.

Private rental clusters around the Thang Long Industrial Park—exemplified by Bau Village and adjacent communities—form dense housing networks along narrow alleys, interspersed with local residents' homes. The typical model involves landlords living within the same plot but with separate entrances for tenants; electricity and water are billed by meter or mutual agreement; deposits are low and rental terms flexible, fitting the work rhythms of shift-based or seasonal workers. However, informality leads to inconsistent quality, heightened fire safety risks, environmental hygiene concerns, and a general lack of community-friendly spaces for family life, especially for young children.

Housing choices are shaped primarily by income and affordability. Average household incomes among surveyed workers were only moderately higher than the urban baseline; Housing costs are typically accounted for around one-tenth of income but varied according to housing type and amenities. Distance to the factory and work-shift schedules were the most decisive, encouraging workers to live as close as possible factors to industrial-zone gates to minimize commuting time and costs, particularly for night shifts. Family circumstances, stage of urban settlement, and ethnic cultural differences further shaped decision-making: household with young children prioritized security, schooling, and adequate living space, while certain cultural practices motivated workers to live near co-ethnic peers for cost-sharing and emotional support. Social networks thus functioned as key anchoring mechanisms, helping newcomers quickly access information on housing, jobs, and essential services while providing a sense of safety in an unfamiliar environment. Yet these same networks can also lock workers into low-cost, low-quality rental circuits if no pathways to formal housing or appropriate financial support schemes are available.

Findings show that ethnic minority migrants adapt slowly in terms of housing transitions. In their initial years in the city, most reside in basic, low-cost private rooms, with only a modest proportion able to access apartments or more stable housing types; Later, as savings accumulate and social networks strengthen, some gradually shift to more secure options, though the pace of improvement is constrained by high urban living costs and the priority of remitting money home. Cultural adaptation appears through adjustments to shift-based schedules, learning to navigate cramped spaces, conforming to shared norms in multiethnic rental communities, while still maintaining core cultural practices in simplified forms. Financially, the dominant strategy is to cap housing expenditures at an affordable threshold to retain capacity for essential spending and savings; however, shocks such as illness or reduced factory orders can quickly push appliances into vulnerability and housing instability. The most commonly sought support channels remain friends and co-villagers, followed by groundswell trade unions, landlords, and local authorities; access to information and procedures for social housing remains limited in both user-friendliness and timeliness.

The thesis contributes updated empirical insights into the housing conditions of ethnic minority industrial workers in Hanoi, highlighting the overwhelming role of private rental housing, operational bottlenecks in the Kim Chung social housing complex, and the slow adaptive trajectory of workers in their urban settlement journey.

Overall, the thesis argues that improving the living conditions and long-term urban attachment of ethnic minority workers requires a comprehensive package of solutions: enhancing the quality and affordability of housing, simplifying access to formal housing schemes, and strengthening support networks at the destination. This would transform housing—from one of the most challenging issues—into a foundation for social integration for ethnic minority workers and for sustainable economic and industrial development in the locality.

12. Practical applicability:

This study holds not only scientific value but also significant practical relevance, especially in informing policy consultation for government authorities at various levels as well as for enterprises. For example, the findings can contribute to:

• Improving policies on worker housing development;

• Supporting the planning and design of sustainable housing models;

• Enhancing the effectiveness of residence management and social service provision;

• Improving workers' living conditions and overall well-being;

• Providing a basis for enterprises to develop more appropriate and effective human resources and welfare policies;

- Contributing to sustainable urban–industrial development governance.

13. Further research directions:

In the coming period, the study will be expanded to include other aspects of social welfare for workers in industrial zones. In addition, the author plans to carry out fieldwork at the place of origin to examine sociometric changes within communities that send migrants to industrial areas. Combining research at both the destination and the point of origin is expected to offer a more comprehensive understanding of the overall impacts of migration on workers and the communities involved.

14. Thesis-related publications:

Journal article “Housing for Ethnic Minority Migrant Workers in Some Industrial Zones in Hanoi,Journal of Anthropology and Religious Studies, No.2 (02) 2025, pp 59-69.