The Vietnam work permit fees and costs 2026 for foreign workers in Vietnam is one of the primary issues that many enterprises care about when implementing recruitment procedures for foreign labor. In reality, the expense of applying for a Vietnam work permit does not only include the official state fees but may also involve various other costs related to document preparation, such as obtaining a criminal record certificate, medical examinations, and eventually securing a temporary residence card.
Depending on each specific case, these expenses may encompass health checks, notarized translations, consular legalization of foreign papers, work experience confirmations, and other administrative fees. For foreign workers coming from different countries, the actual expenses may vary due to differing documentation requirements and procedures.
Accurately estimating the work permit cost in Vietnam helps enterprises take initiative in their human resource planning, minimize unforeseen expenses, and ensure that the licensing process is completed on schedule. In addition, if a work permit service is utilized, businesses should also consider the document support and advisory fees to choose the most suitable option.
In this article, Viet An Law Firm will provide a detailed update on official state fees, commonly incurred expenses, and crucial notes to help enterprises optimize Vietnam work permit fees for foreigners in Vietnam.
The cost of applying for a work permit for foreign workers in Vietnam comprises multiple items, ranging from state fees to costs incurred for completing dossiers in compliance with legal regulations. In reality, the total cost of Vietnam work permit can vary significantly depending on the worker’s nationality, the type of documents required, the local jurisdiction handling the procedure, and whether the enterprise handles the application independently or utilizes external support services. Common cost items include:
| Cost Item | Reference Cost Level |
| Work permit issuance fee | Around 400,000 – 1,000,000 VND/dossier depending on the locality |
| Consular legalization | 30,000 VND/time |
| Consular certification | 30,000 VND/time |
| Certified copy | From 2,000 VND/page |
| Signature authentication | 10,000 VND/case |
| Medical examination | Depends on the medical facility and check-up list |
| Criminal record certificate | Depends on the issuing country or agency |
| Document translation and notarization | Depends on the volume and language of the documents |
| Work permit service fee | Depends on the scope of work and profile complexity |
| Total actual cost | From a few million to tens of millions of VND depending on each case |
Note: The cost of obtaining a work permit for foreigners depends heavily on the worker’s nationality, the number of documents requiring consular legalization, translation and notarization requirements, and whether the enterprise handles it internally or hires professional services to optimize the Vietnam Work Permit Cost 2026.
Application Cost Breakdown
The work permit issuance fee is the amount that an enterprise or employer must pay to the competent authority when performing procedures for new issuance, re-issuance, or renewal of a work permit.
Pursuant to Clause 4, Article 3 of Circular No. 85/2019/TT-BTC, the fee for issuing work permits to foreigners working in Vietnam falls under the deciding authority of the Provincial People’s Council. Therefore, each locality may issue different fee rates via resolutions of the provincial or municipal People’s Council.
Typically, the current fee for newly issuing a work permit ranges from approximately 400,000 VND to 1,000,000 VND per dossier, depending on the locality. For cases of re-issuance or renewal, the collected rate is usually lower than for a new issuance.
Example:
In Ho Chi Minh City, according to Resolution No. 09/2022/NQ-HĐND:
In Hanoi, according to Resolution No. 06/2020/NQ-HĐND, supplemented by Resolution No. 13/2021/NQ-HĐND:
This is one of the most common expenses incurred for foreign workers when applying for a work permit in Vietnam.
According to Clause 1, Article 5 of Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP, foreign documents within the work permit application profile must undergo consular legalization, except for cases exempted under international treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the relevant foreign country are both signatories, or according to the principle of reciprocity, or as prescribed by law.
According to Article 5 of Circular No. 157/2016/TT-BTC regulating consular legalization fee rates:
Note:
Documents that have been consularly legalized must be translated into Vietnamese and authenticated in accordance with the law. In case the documents are copies, they must be authenticated against the originals before being translated into Vietnamese and authenticated as legally required.
According to Clause 2, Article 5 of Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP, after undergoing consular legalization, foreign-language documents must be translated into Vietnamese and authenticated according to regulations before submission to the work permit issuing agency.
According to Article 4 of Circular No. 226/2016/TT-BTC, the fees for document authentication are as follows:
| No. | Content | Fee Rate |
| 1 | Fee for authenticating copies from originals | 2,000 VND/page. From the third page onwards, 1,000 VND/page, but the maximum fee shall not exceed 200,000 VND/copy. A page used as the basis for fee collection is calculated based on the page of the original document. |
| 2 | Fee for signature authentication | 10,000 VND/case. A case is understood as one or more signatures on the same document or text. |
| 3 | Fee for authenticating contracts and transactions: | |
| a | Authentication of contracts and transactions | 50,000 VND/contract or transaction. |
| b | Authentication of amendments, supplements, or cancellations of contracts and transactions | 30,000 VND/contract or transaction. |
| c | Correcting errors in authenticated contracts and transactions | 25,000 VND/contract or transaction. |
A health certificate is a mandatory component of the work permit application dossier for foreign workers.
The cost of a health examination depends on:
Generally, this is a compulsory expense that needs to be budgeted right from the document preparation phase.
Many enterprises choose to utilize legal services or support services for work permit applications to save time and mitigate potential risks during document processing.
Service costs can include:
The service fee depends on the complexity of the profile, the worker’s nationality, the number of dossiers to be processed, and the scope of work undertaken by the service provider.
In addition to the aforementioned expenses, during the process of applying for a work permit for foreign workers, enterprises may incur several other costs depending on specific cases, including:
Thus, the actual Vietnam work permit costs can range from a few million to tens of millions of VND, particularly for dossiers that require legalization of multiple documents issued abroad or those utilizing all-inclusive service packages.
The cost of obtaining a work permit for a foreigner can escalate significantly if the dossier has to be modified, supplemented, or re-processed multiple times. Preparing the application correctly right from the start helps enterprises shorten processing times and avoid unexpected expenses.
Many cases face prolonged processing times due to missing documents or expired certificates. Enterprises should review the work permit application profile at least 1 to 2 months before the expected employment start date to allow ample time to prepare all necessary papers.
Documents such as degrees, work experience confirmations, or position-proving papers usually must undergo consular legalization before being used in Vietnam. Performing this procedure in the issuing country is often more time-efficient and cost-effective compared to handling it as a supplement after the worker has entered Vietnam.
Health certificates are only accepted when issued by qualified medical facilities under state regulations. If the check-up is done at an unapproved clinic, the worker may have to undergo a re-examination, increasing costs and extending the application timeline.
One of the most common reasons profiles are sent back for supplements is that the work experience confirmation letter does not meet the criteria of competent authorities. Enterprises should pre-check the content, employment duration, and job title stated on the experience verification document to avoid repeated adjustments.
Foreign workers may fall into categories such as experts, managers, chief executive officers, or technical workers. Correctly identifying the target category from the beginning ensures the preparation of an appropriate dossier and limits costs arising from amendments or re-submissions.
Work permit application dossiers should be submitted in strict accordance with the statutory timeline. Preparing too late can force the enterprise into rushed processing or trigger unnecessary administrative costs.
In reality, the expense of applying for a work permit is not fixed but is influenced by many different factors, including:
Factors affecting the Vietnam work permit cost 2026
Dossiers involving complex foreign elements or requiring urgent processing typically incur higher costs than standard cases.
For foreign-direct-invested (FDI) enterprises, the total expenses for work permit applications are often higher due to a larger volume of foreign employees and typically more complex profiles compared to domestic companies.
In addition to the standard expenses listed above, FDI enterprises may incur additional costs related to:
Therefore, FDI enterprises should build human resource plans and budgets early to remain proactive in utilizing foreign labor in Vietnam.
Current labor law does not mandate which party must bear the expenses of a work permit application. The allocation of costs is usually agreed upon by the parties within the labor contract or the internal regulations of the enterprise.
No. The work permit fee falls under the deciding authority of the Provincial People’s Council, so it can vary among different localities.
Yes. However, the health certificate must still be within its validity period under regulations and, in many cases, must be consularly legalized, translated, and authenticated before use in Vietnam.
No. Certain documents may be exempt from consular legalization under international treaties or according to the principle of reciprocity between Vietnam and the relevant nation.
The medical examination fee depends entirely on the selected healthcare facility. Actual costs can vary between different hospitals and localities.
Yes. Cases that require consular legalization, translation, and authentication for a large volume of documents will naturally incur higher expenses than a simple profile.
Enterprises can save on service fees if they perform the procedures themselves. However, preparing a dossier that does not fully comply with regulations can result in additional processing time and supplementary costs.
Service fee levels typically depend on the worker’s nationality, the volume of profiles, the type of documents to be processed, and the specific scope of work executed by the consulting unit.
It depends on the case. Foreign workers may incur further expenses related to temporary residence card or other residence management procedures in Vietnam.
Enterprises should prepare dossiers early, verify the validity of foreign documents, and strictly adhere to requirements for consular legalization, translation, and authentication.
No. Enterprises can carry out the procedures themselves if they fully meet the conditions and prepare the correct dossier. However, utilizing professional services can save time and minimize risks during document processing.
Viet An Law Firm supports labor law advisory services, drafting labor contracts for foreigners in Vietnam, and providing all-inclusive service packages for issuing work permits and temporary residence card for foreigners in Vietnam.
