Vietnam Work Permit

Foreign nationals assigned to work in Vietnam are required to show a degree of proprietary knowledge. You may convert from visitor purpose to work purpose while staying in Vietnam or as the work permit application is in process.

Also, the Work Permit application has to be sponsored by a company or entity registered and recognized in Vietnam.

To obtain a Work Permit in Vietnam, applicants should satisfy the following requirements:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Health in good condition to satisfy the specific demands and requirements of the job
• Free of any criminal record or a national security offence, not currently facing criminal prosecution, or not serving a criminal sentence during assignment.
• Must be a specialist, manager, or executive.

Some foreign nationals are exempt from getting the Work Permit and can work in Vietnam holding only business visas. These individuals are:

• Foreigners entering Vietnam to work for less than three (3) months or to resolve emergency cases are exempt. Foreign employees are required to submit their full name, passport number, nationality, job description and an employment contract copy indicating a period of no more than ninety (90) days to the Labor Department
• Members of a limited liability company having two or more members
• Members of the board of directors of a shareholding company
• Owners of a single-member limited Liability Company
• Employees that promote and market services belonging to Foreign Service suppliers
• Vietnam’s Ministry of Justice-certified practicing lawyers

A Work Permit may be terminated in the following:

• Expiration of work permit
• Termination of labor contract
• The content of labor contract is not consistent with the granted work permit
• Expiration or termination of the business, trade, finance, banking, insurance, science and technology, culture, sports, education, or medicine contracts
• When foreign employer announced the termination of the foreign national working in Vietnam
• Withdrawal of work permit by authorized state agencies
• Termination of operation of the company, organization, and partners in Vietnam

The Work Permit validity period lasts depending on the duration of assignment indicated in the employment contract, but no more than three years. Renewals are also dependent on the employment contract, with a maximum of three years for every renewal. Individuals can renew up to a maximum of three times.

Before leaving Vietnam, the Work Permit of employees needs to be cancelled with the assistance of the Labor Department. Foreign employees should return the permit to their employer within fifteen days from the date their employment ends. It is the employer’s responsibility to submit the permit with a notification letter to the Labor Department’s local office.