IT professionals of FPT Corporation develop software at its office at the Saigon Hi-tech Park in HCM City. According to Malaysia's ICT Job Market Outlook 2014, the average salary of ICT professionals in Viet Nam is the highest in Asia in 2013. — Photo sggp.org.vn

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — The average salary of information and communication technology (ICT) professionals in Viet Nam and Hong Kong was the highest in Asia in 2013.

The salaries of ICT professionals in the two countries were 2.19 and 2.12 times (with purchasing power parity adjusted) higher, respectively, than in Malaysia.

According to the latest ICT Job Market Outlook 2014, in Da Nang, Ha Noi, HCM City and Vung Tau, IT professionals earned between 1.48 and 3.68 times more than their Malaysian counterparts.

The chart shows that the average salary of Vietnamese IT professionals is 2.19 higher than that of Malaysian counterparts. — Photo courtesy of PIKOM

The average salary in Malaysia in 2013 increased by 7.2 per cent to reach RM7,152 (US$2,239) from RM6,673 ($2,089) in 2012. "In Viet Nam, they are paid in US dollars. This contributed to the rise in wages," the Malaysian Insider news portal quoted Cheah Kok Hoong, chairman of the National ICT Association of Malaysia (PIKOM), as saying at a media briefing. He added that Viet Nam is experiencing robust economic growth and is "importing" expatriate ICT talents to fulfill the market demand.

The ICT professionals in Thailand and China get salaries that are 1.54 and 1.93 times higher, respectively, than in Malaysia. Meanwhile, the US and Australia top the English-speaking nations, with salaries that are 2.08 and 1.90 times higher, respectively, than in Malaysia.

The survey was carried out by PIKOM in collaboration with JobStreet.com and was supported by the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC). — VNS