Work permit in Vietnam

Work permit is one of the most important documents that foreign labors need to have to work in Vietnam. Work permit in Vietnam is regulated by the Ministry of Labor of the country. The permit will be extended based on the need of recruiters.

Vietnam is one of developing countries having the fastest growth rate in the world. The country becomes attractive to foreign investment. There are more expats coming to Vietnam to work and live. Many foreign-owned companies are established in Vietnam. To operate, manage and multiply their capital of investment, many experts and managers from their countries are sent to Vietnam. For those who want to work in Vietnam, a Vietnam work permit is an essential document. Procedures for applying a work permit in Vietnam are not as complicated as in developed countries like the U.S or European countries. However, it is required to follow correctly prescribed steps. Some notes specified below are expected to help applicants easily get a work permit. Foreign employees under following circumstance must apply for a work permit if they want to work in Vietnam:

- Performing the labor contract with Vietnamese entrepreneurs or organizations according to Vietnamese law
- Moving to a branch in Vietnam (except for Head of representative office, Head of project office, or those who are delegated for activities in Vietnam by non-government organizations)
- Performing contracts in the fields of economy, commerce, finance, banking, insurance, science and technology, culture, sport, education and health care
- Service providers under contract
- Offering services
- The representatives of foreign non-government organizations which is allowed to operate according to Vietnamese law

Special cases of work permit in Vietnam

- Working in Vietnam for less than 03 (three months)
- Members of limited companies with two members or more
- Owners of one-member limited companies
- Members of the Board Directors of joint-stock companies
- Entering Vietnam to handle emergencies such as incidents, complicatedly technical problems which Vietnamese experts and foreign experts in Vietnam are not able to solve, if those cases last over 3 months then after 3 months, foreigners have to apply for a work permit.
- Foreign lawyers granted with a valid license to practice law by the Ministry of Justice
- Head of representative offices, project offices or those who are delegated for activities in Vietnam by a foreign non-government organizations
- Offering consultant services for specialization and technique or performing duties to research, construct, appraise, monitor and manage projects using ODA capital.
- Granted with a license in the field of information and journal by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Other circumstances according to regulations of the Government

Vietnam work permit procedure

- A filled form of application
- Work application or confirmation of work change( by the employers)
- The judicial profile issued by the living country or the municipal office of Justice in Vietnam.
- The autobiographical profile with photo
- Health certificate issued in the residential country or in Vietnam
- Copies of qualifications or professional certificates or confirmation of qualifications by authorized offices
- Three photos size 3 x 4cm taken within 1 year

- The application form is submitted at the municipal office of Department of Labor, Invalid and Society. The fee for a new work permit is 400,000 VND.

The valid time of a work permit is granted equivalently to the valid time of labor contract or the time a foreigner is appointed to Vietnam to perform duties. In cases a foreigner works in Vietnam without a labor contract, the valid time is grated according to the time of the contract signed by Vietnamese party and foreign one. For representatives of non-government organizations working in Vietnam, the valid time of the work permit is equivalent to the valid time in the work permit of those non-government organizations according to Vietnamese law. The valid time of those aforementioned circumstances shall not exceed 36 (thirty-six) months.