Work permit in Vietnam is a document issued by a competent authority to foreign workers to work legally in Vietnam. According to the regulations in 2026, most foreign workers must have a Vietnam work permit, except for cases exempted by law.
The following article by Viet An Law Firm provides a detailed guide on the conditions, dossier, procedure, and duration for granting a work permit for foreigners in Vietnam according to the latest regulations in 2026. This comprehensive work permit in Vietnam: requirements, procedure and cost (2026 guide) helps enterprises and foreign investors easily grasp and implement procedures in accordance with regulations.
| Content | Information |
|---|---|
| What is a work permit? | A license for foreigners to work legally |
| Subjects | Foreign workers |
| Permit duration | Maximum 2 years |
| Issuing authority | Provincial People’s Committee/Department of Home Affairs |
| Processing time | 10 working days |
| Submission method | National Public Service Portal |
| Is it mandatory? | Yes, except for exempted cases |
In 2026, the procedure for issuing an employment license for foreigners in Vietnam has many important changes according to Decree 219/2025/ND-CP and Decision 346/QD-BNV to simplify administrative procedures and shorten the dossier processing time.
| New point | Notable content |
|---|---|
| Integrated procedures | Merging the procedure of explaining the demand for using foreign workers with the permit application dossier |
| Removal of separate explanation step | Enterprises do not need to carry out a separate procedure to explain the demand for foreign workers |
| More convenient dossier submission | Dossiers are submitted directly via the Public Administration Service Center or Public Service Portal |
| Separate dossiers by subject | Separate regulations for experts, technical workers, executive directors, and managers |
| Simplified dossiers | Some cases are exempted from a health check certificate or a criminal record certificate when changing jobs |
| Acceptance of foreign criminal records | Allowing the use of valid criminal record certificates issued by foreign authorities |
| Adjustment of working forms | Removing the form of “participating in bid packages, projects” and adding new regulations on offering services |
These new changes regarding employment licenses in 2026 help FDI enterprises and foreign workers save time, reduce costs, and be more convenient when carrying out legal working procedures in Vietnam.
A work permit is a document issued by a competent state authority to foreign workers to work legally in Vietnam. This is a mandatory condition for many cases of foreigners working in enterprises and organizations in Vietnam according to the regulations of the Labor Code.
According to the Labor Code 2019, foreign workers working in Vietnam must have a work permit issued by a competent authority, except for cases exempted by legal regulations. This applies to foreigners working under labor contracts, managing enterprises, experts, technical workers, or investors in Vietnam.
According to Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, foreign workers working in Vietnam under various forms must carry out the procedure to apply for an employment license, except for cases exempted by legal regulations. Common subjects required to apply for a permit in Vietnam include:
Determining the correct subjects required to apply for an employment license helps enterprises and foreign workers strictly follow legal regulations, avoiding penalty risks during their work in Vietnam.
| Exempted case | Conditions and applicable content |
| Chief representative officer | Head of international organizations, foreign non-governmental organizations in Vietnam |
| Entering Vietnam for less than 03 months | Offering services or handling complex technical and technological incidents |
| Foreign lawyers | Having a Lawyer practice license in Vietnam |
| Married to a Vietnamese person | Living legally in Vietnam |
| Capital contributing member from 3 billion VND | Owner or capital contributing member of an LLC that is an FDI company |
| Board of Directors member from 3 billion VND | Applicable to joint-stock companies that are FDI companies |
| Foreign correspondents | Certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for press activities |
| Interning pupils and students | Interning or apprenticing in Vietnam |
| Person establishing commercial presence | Responsible for establishing a representative office or branch in Vietnam |
| Working for less than 90 days/year | Total working time is less than 90 days in 1 year |
| Internal enterprise transfer | Belonging to 11 service sectors committed to the WTO and having worked for at least 12 months |
| Experts in priority fields | Working in science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation fields |
| Teaching, researching | Certified by the Ministry of Education and Training |
| Executing international treaties | According to international treaties of which Vietnam is a member |
| Official passport holders | Working for state agencies, political – social organizations |
| Volunteers | Working without pay under international programs |
As outlined in our work permit in Vietnam: requirements, procedure and cost (2026 Guide), the application dossier must be fully prepared.
According to Article 18, Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, the dossier for a permit for a foreign worker requires full preparation of documents on personal identity, health, professional qualifications, and Vietnam work permit requirements regarding the demand for using foreign workers.
Mandatory application components
| Required dossier | Content requirements |
|---|---|
| Written request for permit issuance | According to Form No. 03 issued with Decree 219/2025/ND-CP |
| Health check certificate | Issued within 12 months by a legal medical facility domestically or abroad |
| Criminal record certificate | Issued no more than 06 months, proving no criminal record or being examined for penal liability |
| Degrees, certificates, experience confirmations | Proving professional qualifications and working experience suitable for the recruited position |
| 4×6 portrait photos | 02 white background photos, taken within the last 06 months |
| Passport copy | Valid passport, authenticated according to regulations |
| Other related documents | Labor contract, dispatch letter, service provision contract, or operation license depending on each case |
Proper and accurate preparation of the application dossier helps enterprises shorten the processing time and limit the risk of being requested to supplement the dossier.
The employer’s written document reporting the explanation of the demand for using foreign workers and requesting the issuance of an employment license according to Form No. 03 in the Appendix issued with Decree 219/2025/ND-CP.
During the application process, many enterprises and foreign workers have their dossiers rejected due to errors in documents, information, or conditions. Preparing a standard dossier will help shorten the processing time and avoid having to supplement the dossier multiple times.
| Common mistake | Content |
|---|---|
| Not consular legalized yet | Degrees, criminal records, or experience confirmation documents issued abroad have not been consular legalized and notarized translated |
| Inconsistent dossier information | Job title, experience, or degrees are not consistent across documents |
| Expired criminal record certificate | The criminal record certificate was issued more than 06 months prior to the submission date |
| Invalid health check certificate | Examination at a medical facility without sufficient authority or using the wrong form according to regulations |
| Unconvincing explanation of labor demand | Failing to prove the reason for needing foreign workers instead of Vietnamese workers |
| Change of passport number | The new passport does not match the information on degrees, criminal records, or experience confirmation documents |
| Missing experience documents | The experience confirmation document has incorrect content or insufficient time as prescribed |
| Submitting the dossier close to the deadline | Submitting the dossier too late leads to delayed permit issuance or affects working time |
Thoroughly reviewing the dossier before submission helps enterprises increase the approval rate of the application and limit legal risks during the use of foreign workers in Vietnam.
Procedure for granting a work permit on the National Public Service Portal
According to the regulations of Vietnamese labor law, the permit is issued with a maximum duration of not exceeding 02 years. The specific duration will be based on the working purpose, labor contract, or related documents of the foreign worker in Vietnam.
| Basis for determining duration | Applicable content |
|---|---|
| Labor contract | According to the expected term of the signed labor contract |
| Dispatch letter to work in Vietnam | According to the term the foreign enterprise dispatches the worker to Vietnam |
| Contract between Vietnamese and foreign partners | According to the term of the contract or cooperation agreement |
| Service provision contract | According to the service provision term between the parties |
| Service provider dispatching workers to Vietnam | According to the term stated in the dispatch letter for negotiation or service provision |
| Operation license of the enterprise, organization | According to the licensed operation duration |
| Establishing commercial presence | According to the term in the document dispatching the person to establish a commercial presence |
| Participating in enterprise activities in Vietnam | According to the document proving participation in the foreign enterprise’s activities |
| Written approval of foreign labor usage | According to the term approved by the competent authority |
As detailed in this work permit in Vietnam: requirements, procedure and cost (2026 guide), according to the regulations in the documents guiding the Law on Fees and Charges under the deciding competence of the People’s Councils of provinces and centrally-run cities, each locality will prescribe a specific different fee level. Reference the basic rates as follows:
| Fee item | Reference cost |
|---|---|
| State fees | 400,000 – 1,000,000 VND |
| Health check | 1 – 3 million VND |
| Consular legalization | Depending on the country |
| Notarized translation | 300,000 – 2 million VND |
| Legal services | Depending on the dossier and fee of each Law Firm |
According to Point a, Clause 3, Clause 4, and Clause 5, Article 32 of Decree 12/2022/ND-CP regulating penalties for violations regarding foreign workers working in Vietnam without an employment license as follows:
Foreign workers without the required documentation will be fined from 15,000,000 VND to 25,000,000 VND.
Employers using foreign workers in Vietnam without the required document will be fined as follows:
The fine levels for the above acts apply to individuals. For organizations, the fine is twice the fine for individuals.
The comprehensive service of Viet An Law Firm helps enterprises and foreign workers complete dossiers quickly, according to regulations, and saves administrative procedure processing time in Vietnam.
| Benefit | Content |
|---|---|
| Advising on the right position | Assisting in determining suitable experts, technical workers, or executive directors |
| Comprehensive dossier processing | Translating, notarizing, consular legalizing, and submitting the dossier |
| Saving time | Assisting simultaneously with work permits, visas, and temporary residence cards |
| Representing to work with state agencies | Reducing the risk of dossiers being requested for amendment or supplementation |
| Information confidentiality | Committing to keep dossiers and enterprise information confidential |
Yes. In most cases, foreign workers working in Vietnam must have valid authorization, except for cases exempted by legal regulations.
It has a maximum duration of 02 years and can be extended once for a maximum of 02 years.
Normally, the issuance time is about 10 working days from the date the competent authority receives a full valid dossier.
No. Foreign workers are not allowed to work in Vietnam without valid documentation or a valid exemption confirmation.
The cost depends on each locality and items such as state fees, consular legalization, notarized translation, health check, and legal services if any.
According to regulations, the enterprise or employing organization is the entity that carries out the application procedure for foreigners.
Yes. After being issued, foreigners can apply for a labor visa or temporary residence card to legally reside and work in Vietnam.
Some common exempted cases include capital contributing investors, Board of Directors members, chief representative officers, foreign lawyers, and workers working short-term as prescribed by law.
Viet An Law Firm provides comprehensive services for FDI enterprises, representative offices, and international organizations with a fast procedure, in accordance with regulations, and guaranteeing client information confidentiality.
