6.5 million Vietnamese living abroad: Where are the largest communities located?

Originating from historic waves of migration to labor cooperation programs, international study, and skilled immigration programs in the era of integration, the overseas Vietnamese community has now reached approximately 6.5 million people living, studying, and working in more than 130 countries and territories. Notably, up to 80% of overseas Vietnamese reside in developed countries.

The presence of “Little Saigon” areas and bustling Vietnamese markets around the world is the clearest testament to the enduring vitality and strong sense of community among Vietnamese living abroad.

Standing far ahead of all other countries, the United States is currently home to approximately 2.34 million people of Vietnamese origin, accounting for nearly half of the total overseas Vietnamese population worldwide.

The history of the Vietnamese community here has gone through several major waves, beginning after 1975, followed by the “boat people” period in the 1980s and family reunification, investment, and international study programs in the 21st century.

Vietnamese Americans are spread across states throughout the country, but the largest populations remain in California, accounting for 38% to 39%, and Texas, accounting for 13% to 14%.

San Jose has a large Vietnamese population in the Silicon Valley area, making major contributions to both the high-tech economy and traditional commercial services, turning the city into one of the major political and cultural centers of the Vietnamese community.

Houston has become a promised land attracting large numbers of Vietnamese seeking to establish their careers, with strong development in agriculture, fishing, restaurants, and the energy industry.

Westminster is the symbolic “heart” of the Vietnamese community in the United States, with people of Vietnamese origin accounting for 45.53% of the city’s population, or more than 41,000 people. The city is home to Bolsa Avenue and Phuoc Loc Tho Shopping Center, the core of the oldest “Little Saigon” hub, where Vietnamese language, cuisine, and traditional cultural ceremonies from the homeland are preserved in their entirety.

Japan has recorded the fastest growth of the Vietnamese community in the world over the past decade. Data from Japan’s Immigration Services Agency (ISA) shows that, as of early 2026, the number of Vietnamese people legally residing in the country had reached 681,100.

Unlike communities in Western countries, the Vietnamese community in Japan has a very young average age, consisting mainly of technical interns, IT engineers, international students, and specified skilled workers. Vietnam has also officially surpassed South Korea to become the second-largest foreign community in Japan, after China.

• Tokyo: As the largest economic center, Tokyo has a high concentration of Vietnamese people, particularly in central wards such as Shinjuku and Toshima, including the Ikebukuro area. It is home to tens of thousands of international students at prestigious universities, intellectuals working for multinational corporations, and a rapidly growing network of Vietnamese restaurants catering to local tastes.

• Osaka: Located at the heart of the Kansai region, Osaka is a bustling commercial hub attracting large numbers of Vietnamese technical workers and international students in the service sector. The Ikuno-ku area in Osaka is known for its markets, active student associations, and network of stores supplying authentic Vietnamese food and spices.

• Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture: Aichi Prefecture is a major industrial hub for manufacturing, automobile production, and electronics in Japan. As a result, the city of Nagoya has become a magnet attracting tens of thousands of Vietnamese engineers and technical interns to work in large factories and manufacturing facilities.

Australia is the next country with a strong Vietnamese community, with a population of more than 400,000 people of Vietnamese origin. Migration to Australia began to surge after 1975 and continued to grow through skilled migration programs, international student flows, and family reunification.

The Vietnamese community in Australia is highly regarded for its high level of education, deep integration into the local political and social system, and the widespread presence of the Vietnamese language, which ranks among the most commonly spoken immigrant languages at home.

• Sydney, New South Wales: Sydney is home to the largest Vietnamese population in Australia, particularly in the suburbs of Cabramatta and Bankstown. Cabramatta is often described as a “mini Saigon” in the heart of Australia, where Vietnamese-owned businesses have flourished, with hundreds of shops, pho and banh mi restaurants, and medical and legal service offices.

• Melbourne, Victoria: Victoria and Melbourne have a large Vietnamese-speaking population comparable to Sydney’s. Suburbs such as St Albans, Springvale, and Sunshine North are established Vietnamese cultural centers where the community has built large Buddhist temples and community centers and organizes large-scale Lunar New Year celebrations every year.

• Brisbane, Queensland: Located in northeastern Australia, Brisbane is another ideal destination for Vietnamese people thanks to its warm subtropical climate. Vietnamese residents are concentrated in areas such as Inala and Darra and make important contributions to high-tech agriculture, healthcare, and higher education.

France holds a particularly special position as the place where the first foundations of Vietnamese migration to the West were laid during the colonial period, followed by two world wars and the refugee wave of 1975.

The Vietnamese community in France currently numbers approximately 350,000 to 400,000 people. What makes the Vietnamese community in France distinctive is its extremely high level of assimilation and academic achievement. Vietnamese people are viewed by French society as a “common denominator” of success, knowledge, and civilized integration, with a strong presence in medicine, engineering and research, architecture, and the arts.

• Paris and the Île-de-France region: This is the core center, home to nearly 100,000 people of Vietnamese origin. Unlike in the United States, Vietnamese people in Paris have not built a completely separate neighborhood known as Little Saigon, but have instead integrated into the broader society while maintaining a clear commercial presence in the 13th arrondissement, the Quartier Asiatique, or moving to suburbs such as Ivry-sur-Seine as their economic circumstances improve. Paris is also the center of major Vietnamese cultural, media, and artistic activities in Europe.

• Marseille: Located in southern France on the Mediterranean coast, Marseille was a port where the first generations of Vietnamese arrived by ship in the previous century. The Vietnamese community here has a long history associated with maritime trade, cuisine, and services.

• Lyon: As France’s second-largest economic center, Lyon attracts Vietnamese intellectuals, scientists, and large numbers of international students to conduct research and work in the chemical, biomedical, and technology industries.

Rounding out the top five is Canada, which has a stable population of nearly 290,000 people of Vietnamese origin. Most of the community was formed after the Canadian government expanded its humanitarian refugee policies in the late 1970s.

With its legislated multiculturalism policy and safe living environment, Vietnamese people in Canada have built a strong economic foundation, achieved a high rate of home ownership, and gained an increasingly important voice at various levels of government.

• Toronto, Ontario: Toronto is Canada’s largest financial center and also the city with the highest concentration of Vietnamese people in the country. The community is widely distributed, operating many businesses, restaurants, and large supermarkets, while maintaining strong connections through Vietnamese student associations and business associations.

• Montreal, Quebec: Located in the French-speaking province of Quebec, Montreal attracts Vietnamese people with strong educational backgrounds and prior proficiency in both English and French. Vietnamese people in Montreal are known for their sophisticated lifestyle and make significant contributions to healthcare, the arts, and the academic education system in Quebec.

• Vancouver, British Columbia: With its advantage as a gateway for trade across the Pacific and its mild climate, Vancouver attracts large numbers of Vietnamese from newer generations, including investors, entrepreneurs, and international students who settle there, creating a dynamic and prosperous community.