FGI News and Publications

Vietnam – New Labor Rules

New labor rules will soon go into effect beginning February 15,

2021 regarding work permit exemptions, term of work permits,

contracts, and reporting requirements.

Work Permit Exemption

Decree 152 now allows the below cases to be exempt from

requiring a work permit:

  • Marriage to a Vietnamese citizens andliving in Vietnam;
  • Managers, CEOs, skilled and expertworkers working in Vietnam for less than 30 days per trip and nomore than three trips per year;
  • Set up of a commercial presence of aforeign entity in Vietnam;
  • Owners or shareholding members oflimited liability companies with a capital contribution of VND 3billion or more; and
  • Chairpersons or members of the Boardof Directors of joint-stock companies with a capital contributionof 3 billion VND or more. 

Term of Work Permit

Work permits in Vietnam may only be for a maximum of two years

and can only renew once for a further two- year permit. If the

foreign national is required to stay in Vietnam, they must submit a

new work permit.

Reporting Requirements

The new labor rules request that employers withdraw work permits

from foreign workers once the work permit is no longer valid within

15 days.  An explanation letter must also be submitted in

reference for the reason of withdrawal to the Labour Authority.

Employers must also report their foreign workers that travel to

Vietnam, to work for less than 30 days per trip and no more than

three trips per year, to the Labour Authorities with at least three

days in advance.

Between July 5, 2021 and January 5, 2022, employers must submit

a bi-annual report to the relevant Labour Authority of the status

of foreign employees working for the Vietnamese company.


Please note that this is general information only and not

intended as advice on a specific matter. Please feel free to

contact FGI directly with questions

exclusive to your situation. This news alert may have been prepared

using information from Peregrine Immigration Management, which is

licensed to FGI.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general

guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought

about your specific circumstances.

Send Us
a Message

Our team is eager to help your organization navigate the complexities of immigration law & relieve any visa processing frustrations that you are experiencing.

Subscribe to FGI's Bi-weekly Newsletter
Subscribe to Forum for Expatriate Management (FEM Detroit) Distribution List