Work Permit for Foreign Employees
A work permit is required for most foreign nationals working in Vietnam — the sponsoring employer applies to the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs before the employee starts work.
Requirements differ by worker category — specialists, managers, executives, and technical workers each have different qualification requirements. The sponsoring company generally needs its own valid business registration (ERC) before applying.
Table of Contents
Process
How It Works
The applicant applies directly or via postal service or applies to online public service (if any) to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (Department of Employment) or the Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.
Eligibility
Conditions & Eligibility
Pursuant to Article 151 of the 2019 Labor Code, foreign workers working in Vietnam are people with foreign nationality and must meet the following conditions:
- Be 18 years old or older and have full civil capacity
- Have professional qualifications, techniques, skills, and work experience
- Have good health according to regulations of the Minister of Health
- Not a person who is serving a sentence or has not had a criminal record erased or is being prosecuted for criminal liability according to foreign or Vietnamese law
- Have a work permit issued by a competent Vietnamese state agency, except in cases where foreign workers working in Vietnam are not subject to a work permit.
Exact requirements vary by worker category and role — request a quote for guidance specific to your case.
Documentation
Required Documents
- ☐ Valid passport.
- ☐ Two 4x6cm color photos (white background, taken no more than 6 months ago).
- ☐ Valid health certificate.
- ☐ Criminal record certificate or document confirming no criminal record and not currently under criminal investigation.
- ☐ Documents proving the type of employment of the foreign worker.
- ☐ Documents proving the status of manager, executive director, expert, or technical worker as prescribed.
Costs
Government Fees
Based on Article 2, Resolution 09/2022/NQ-HDND stipulating the collection rate for fees and charges for applying for a work permit in Ho Chi Minh City as follows:
- Issuance of a work permit: Collection rate of 600,000 VND/01 permit.
- Reissuance of a work permit: Collection rate of 450,000 VND/01 permit.
- Extension of a work permit: Collection rate of 450,000 VND/01 permit.
This fee schedule is Ho Chi Minh City-specific and may vary by province — not RedTab's service price. Request a quote below for RedTab's execution fee.
Validity
Validity
The term of work permits re-issued to foreign workers in Vietnam according to Article 15 of Decree 152/2020/ND-CP is as follows:
- “The term of the reissued work permit is equal to the term of the issued work permit minus the time the foreign worker has worked up to the time of request for reissue of the work permit.”
- For example: Mr. K (Korean nationality) working at ABC Co., Ltd. (a company in Bac Ninh) was granted a Work Permit by the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Bac Ninh province on October 20, 2023. with a term of 18 months. Due to careless storage, the Work Permit is lost. On January 5, 2024, Mr. K will apply to reissue his work permit. Therefore, the validity pe
Legal basis: Decree 152/2020/ND-CP, Decree 70/2023/ND-CP, Article 12 of Decree 152/2020/ND-CP, Article 14 of Decree 152/2020/ND-CP, Decree No. 70/2023/ND-CP.
FAQ
More questions about work permits
55+ citation-backed answers exist in RedTab's legal knowledge base for this service — a further selection below.
When do I need to carry out the procedure to re-issue a work permit?
The valid work permit is lost.; The valid work permit is damaged.; Change your last name, nationality, passport number, and work location listed in your valid work permit.
When terminating a labor contract , is it required to revoke the work permit?
Clause 2, Article 156 of the Labor Code 2019 stipulates that the work permit loses validity in the case of labor contract termination.; Thus, when the employment relationship between the enterprise and the foreign worker ends, the work permit granted to that worker also loses its validity.; According to Clause 1, Article 31 of Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP, within 15 days from the date the work permit ceases to be valid, the employer is responsible for revoking the work permit to return it to the issuing agency along with a written report. If it cannot be revoked, the reason must be clearly stated.; Therefore, after a foreign worker quits, the enterprise not only carries out the procedure to ter
Will fake dossiers or incorrect information declarations lead to work permit revocation?
Clause 2, Article 30 of Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP stipulates that a work permit is revoked when “the employer or the foreign worker fails to comply with regulations on the issuance, reissuance, and extension of work permits”.; In reality, the use of fake diplomas and certificates; incorrect consular legalization; untruthful declarations about work experience; incorrect declarations of job titles or other important information to be granted a work permit can all be considered for revocation.; Besides having the work permit revoked, violating organizations and individuals may also be subject to administrative sanctions or penal liability depending on the nature and severity of the violation.
How is the procedure to revoke a work permit carried out?
Depending on the cases of revocation, the procedure is carried out under two different mechanisms.; How is the procedure to revoke a work permit carried out?
Do foreigners residing long-term in Vietnam and working remotely have to declare taxes?
According to Clause 2, Article 2 of the Personal Income Tax Law 2025, if a foreigner satisfies the conditions of being a resident individual (present in Vietnam for 183 days or more within a calendar year or 12 consecutive months), they have a mandatory tax declaration obligation. If their income reaches the taxable threshold, they are obligated to pay personal income tax on all income arising inside and outside the territory of Vietnam. If you require comprehensive assistance in structuring these arrangements, obtaining professional labor law consulting from a specialized firm is highly recommended.
Do foreigners residing long-term in Vietnam and working online have to pay tax?
In many cases, foreigners present in Vietnam for 183 days or more in a tax year or meeting residency conditions must declare and pay personal income tax in Vietnam.
Do foreigners entering Vietnam for short-term business trips need a work permit in Vietnam?
If the business trip serves the purpose of attending conferences, seminars, or market research (without generating direct income from a Vietnamese legal entity) and involves a short staying period, they can fully utilize a commercial visa or business visa (DN1, DN2) without needing to proceed with the work permit application procedures. However, if they directly participate in operational or production activities, they must comply with the rule of under 90 days per year as analyzed above.
Are foreign experts working short-term for under 3 months exempt from a work permit?
Short-term working foreign experts can entirely be exempted from a work permit if they satisfy the statutory conditions.; Based on Point a, Clause 13, Article 7 of Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, an expert is exempt from licensing if they have a total working time of under 90 days in 01 calendar year (calculated cumulatively across all entries).; In addition, according to Clause 5, Article 154 of the Labor Code 2019, an expert entering for under 03 months to resolve complex technical or technological incidents that cannot be resolved by on-site experts also falls under the exemption category.; Therefore, enterprises and workers must closely monitor the cumulative staying time to properly execute lega
Do experts coming for short-term training need a work permit?
If entering Vietnam for internal training or technology transfer with a duration of under 90 days per year, the expert will be exempt from a work permit, but the enterprise must notify the labor management authority in advance.
Which authority handles Work Permit?
According to Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, the provincial People’s Committee has the authority to issue, reissue, extend, and revoke work permits and confirmations of not being subject to a work permit for foreign workers working for employers whose headquarters, branches, representative offices, or business locations are in the locality where the foreign worker is expected to work. If a foreign worker works for one employer in multiple provinces and cities, the authority belongs to the provincial People’s Committee where the employer’s headquarters is located.
Does working short-term in Vietnam require a work permit?
Foreign workers working short-term in Vietnam can fall under the cases not requiring a work permit if they strictly meet the conditions on time, position, and working form as prescribed. However, enterprises still need to check the obligation to apply for a work permit exemption confirmation or notify before the foreigner begins working.
Does the work permit exemption dossier require consular legalization?
Documents issued by foreign agencies or organizations generally must be consular legalized, translated into Vietnamese, and authenticated according to regulations before submitting the dossier in Vietnam. Cases exempt from consular legalization or possessing a mutual recognition agreement shall follow corresponding regulations.
When do I need to carry out the procedure to reissue a work permit?
The work permit is still valid but:; Change one of the following contents: full name, nationality, passport number, work location, or change the business name without changing the business code recorded in the valid work permit.; Does the application for reissuance of a work permit include a document approving the need to employ foreign workers?; According to new regulations in Decree 70/2023/ND-CP, this type of document has been abolished in the regulations on applications for the reissuance of work permits. Thus, when submitting your application, you only need to submit the following documents:; Written request for reissue of work permit from the employer.; 02 color photos, taken no more t
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