Expatriates who wish to work in Vietnam permanently for a Vietnamese business/individual or a company with foreign investment are required to obtain a work permit, apart from individuals subject to work permit exemption.
How long is a work permit valid for?
The validity period of a Vietnam work permit is equivalent to the duration of the labour contract to be signed as long as the period is shorter than 2 years and it can only be extended/renewed once for another two-year term under the new regulations of the New Labor Code. If a foreign worker wants to continue working for the current Vietnamese employer after the extended work permit expires, they must apply for a Vietnam new work permit.
What are the Work Permit Requirements?
- Certified copy of passport.
- The criminal record which is issued by the competent authority from the applicant’s country of origin. If the foreign worker is a lawful resident in Vietnam, only the criminal record issued by the Vietnamese competent authority is demanded.
- The written request for the permit application made by the employer
- The medical certificate that is issued by the Vietnamese or foreign approved health institutions
- Notarized copies of academic qualifications such as Bachelor/Master/PhD’s certificate or any other certificates on qualifications granted under the existing law of the country of origin of the applicant.
- A letter affirming past working experience of the applicant in foreign countries.
- 2 photos that were taken recently
Processing time
The length of the application process is estimated to take around 1-2 months
