Vietnam Work Permit Guide for Foreign Companies: Requirements, Process & Exemptions (2026)

Can a foreign employee legally work in Vietnam? What documents are required? Does every foreigner need a work permit? How long does the process take? And what happens if the employee is only coming in for a short assignment?

Vietnam's work permit framework changed significantly under Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, which replaced the previous rules under Decree 152/2020 and Decree 70/2023.

For foreign companies entering Vietnam, understanding these rules early matters. A delayed work permit can delay an employee's start date, visa arrangements, office setup and ultimately the entire market-entry timeline.

Do Foreign Employees Need a Work Permit in Vietnam?

In most cases, yes. Foreign nationals working in Vietnam generally need a work permit unless they fall into one of the exemption categories under Vietnamese law. This can apply whether the person is:

• Hired under a Vietnamese labour contract
• Transferred from an overseas parent or branch
• Providing services under a contract with a Vietnamese company
• Managing a foreign company's commercial presence in Vietnam
• Working on a Vietnam-based project or bidding package
• Assigned to Vietnam by an overseas employer

A short business trip is different. If someone is simply travelling to Vietnam for meetings, conferences or business discussions without entering into an employment relationship in Vietnam, a work permit may not be required.

Entering Vietnam for business is not necessarily the same as working in Vietnam.

The Four Foreign Worker Categories

Vietnam broadly classifies foreign workers into four categories:

• Manager — runs a company, agency or organisation under Vietnamese law. Proof: company charter, appointment decision or business registration.
• Executive Director — heads a branch, representative office, business location or department. Proof: appointment documents and experience confirmation.
• Expert — professional or specialist roles requiring relevant qualifications. Proof: degree, qualifications and employer confirmation.
• Technical Worker — skilled technical roles supported by training and experience. Proof: training certificates and experience confirmation.

Experts may qualify through a university degree combined with relevant professional experience, and certain priority sectors — science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation — may benefit from lower experience requirements. Technical workers generally need either one year of vocational training plus two years of relevant experience, or three years of relevant experience.

What Changed Under Decree 219?

If your company has researched Vietnam work permits before, be careful — a lot of online information still reflects the previous framework.

• Job advertising: 15 days through a government portal, now 5 days on a public platform
• Approval: separate approval plus permit application, now one combined dossier
• Processing: around 5 weeks, now 10 working days from a complete file
• Authority: previous labour authorities, now Provincial People's Committees
• Multi-province work: one permit can now cover multiple listed workplaces

The Job Advertisement Requirement

Before applying, the employer must generally advertise the vacancy publicly for at least five days. The advertisement can be published through a public platform, including the company's own careers page. Keep evidence of the posting — a dated screenshot showing the vacancy, publication date and position details can become an important part of the dossier.

One Combined Application

Instead of treating the approval for hiring foreign labour and the work permit application as two separate processes, the employer submits them together through the National Public Service Portal. The licensing authority then has 10 working days to review a complete application.

But don't mistake "10 working days" for a 10-day expansion timeline. Document preparation, legalisation, translation and qualification verification can take significantly longer than the government processing period itself.

Vietnam Work Permit Requirements for Foreigners

Documents the foreign employee provides

• Passport copy
• Health certificate
• Criminal record certificate
• Degree certificates and professional qualifications
• Experience confirmation letters
• Passport photographs

Documents issued outside Vietnam may require consular legalisation and certified Vietnamese translation before they can be submitted. This is often where the timeline becomes unpredictable.

Documents the employer provides

• Work permit application form
• Explanation of the demand for foreign labour
• Business registration documents
• Job description and position details
• Employment, appointment or assignment documentation
• Proof of the required job advertisement

The employer carries the legal responsibility for the application, so the Vietnamese corporate structure and employment arrangements should be properly prepared before hiring begins.

How to Apply in 2026

Step 1: Advertise the position

Publish the vacancy for at least five days through a public platform and keep evidence of the posting.

Step 2: Prepare and submit the dossier

The employer submits the combined application through the National Public Service Portal, generally between 10 and 60 days before the expected start date. The authority then has 10 working days to review a complete dossier.

Step 3: Sign the labour contract

Once the permit is granted, employer and employee sign the labour contract according to the approved employment terms, and the employee can begin working in accordance with the permit.

Who Is Exempt From a Vietnam Work Permit?

Decree 219 includes 15 exemption categories. The most relevant for foreign companies include:

• Certain foreign investors, where the capital contribution meets the VND 3 billion threshold
• Managers, executives, experts and technical workers in Vietnam for under 90 days in total during a calendar year
• Foreign nationals married to Vietnamese citizens and residing in Vietnam
• Heads of representative offices and certain project heads of international organisations or foreign NGOs
• Certain priority-sector specialists in finance, science, technology, innovation and digital transformation
• Short-term technical specialists entering Vietnam for under three months to resolve technical problems

The 90-Day Rule

Under the newer framework, the calculation is based on total working days in Vietnam during the calendar year, rather than individual trips. Two weeks each in March, June, September and December can still fall within the annual 90-day threshold — but companies should track cumulative days, especially where regional employees travel frequently between Singapore, Vietnam and other markets.

An exemption does not always mean "no paperwork". Many exempt workers still require written confirmation of their exemption before starting work, and in some cases the employer must notify the relevant authority in advance.

How Much Does a Vietnam Work Permit Cost?

Government fees vary by province:

• Ho Chi Minh City: around VND 600,000 for a new permit
• Renewal or re-issuance in Ho Chi Minh City: around VND 450,000
• Hanoi: historically around VND 400,000 for a new permit

Companies may also need to budget for health checks, criminal record certificates, consular legalisation, certified Vietnamese translations, document processing and professional service fees.

How Long Is a Work Permit Valid?

A work permit can generally be valid for up to two years, depending on the underlying employment or assignment documentation. Renewal may be available once for up to another two years. Build renewal into the employee's HR and immigration calendar well in advance.

The permit is also only one part of the picture: work permit, visa and temporary residence card should be planned together when the employee intends to remain in Vietnam longer term.

What Happens If a Company Gets It Wrong?

Foreign workers may face fines of approximately VND 15–25 million, alongside possible deportation and restrictions on returning to Vietnam. Employers can face substantially higher penalties depending on the number of workers involved, with organisational fines potentially reaching VND 75 million — and non-compliance can complicate future hiring and market-entry activities.

Common Mistakes Foreign Companies Make

• Starting too late. Build immigration timelines into the hiring plan from day one.
• Assuming a business visa allows work. Separate "Can they enter Vietnam?" from "Can they work in Vietnam?"
• Using outdated information. Check the rules that apply to the year and location of your actual application.
• Ignoring document legalisation. Start the longest-lead documents first.
• Treating the permit as an HR task. It affects start dates, visas, accommodation and office setup.

What This Means for Companies Expanding Into Vietnam

For a company entering Vietnam from Singapore or another regional market, the work permit is rarely the only challenge. Where to establish your first presence, whether to use a representative office, how to hire, where the team should work, and how to scale once the market proves viable are all connected decisions.

A company might start with one employee and a flexible workspace, validate the market, hire locally, and then move into a larger dedicated office. The right setup depends on your market, team size, timeline and growth plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do foreigners need a work permit to work in Vietnam? Generally yes, unless they fall under one of the applicable exemption categories.

How long does a Vietnam work permit take in 2026? The authority generally has 10 working days to process a complete application, but allow additional time for document preparation, legalisation and translation.

Can I work in Vietnam on a business visa? A visa allowing entry does not automatically authorise employment.

Can one work permit cover multiple locations? Yes, where the relevant workplaces are properly included or notified.

Planning Your Vietnam Expansion?

LEAP X helps companies make the move between Singapore and Vietnam simpler — from entering the market to building a team and finding the right setup for growth.

Note: this article is general informational content and should not be treated as legal advice. Requirements can change; verify the rules applicable to your circumstances.