Work Permit Vietnam: Types & How To Obtain (2024 Updated)

Key Takeaways

• To have a work permit Vietnam, the applicant has to be at least 18 years old, have relevant qualifications and experience, meet health requirements, and get a valid visa.
• Types of work permits in Vietnam are specific to Experts, Managers, and Technical Workers; further education and experience requirements of such workers are outlined in the 2019 Labor Code. Read on for details.
• Foreign workers cannot apply for a Vietnam work visa independently but can do so via sponsorship from a Vietnamese company or an Employer of Record. Check ERA’s guide on how to apply for a work visa in Vietnam legally.

Type Of Work Permit Vietnam

A Vietnam work permit is valid for up to two years and can only be extended once, for an additional two years. Source: novalaw.vn

Article 151 of the Labor Code 2019 of the Government of Vietnam stipulates that for foreign workers to be granted a work permit legally in Vietnam, this shall be considered if they meet the following conditions:

• A foreigner having reached the age of 18 years with full civil capacity;
• Having professional qualifications, technique, or occupation; having relevant experience and meeting the health requirements under the laws of the Minister of Health of Vietnam.
• Not currently serving imprisonment, or not having an un-expunged criminal record, or not being prosecuted for criminal liability under foreign or Vietnamese laws;
• Obtaining a work permit issued by a competent state agency of Vietnam unless the case is under Article 154 of Labor Code 2019.
• Have a visa issued by the competent agency of Vietnam, except for the case otherwise provided for by law.

In particular, under Decree 152/2020/ND-CP and No. 70/2023/ND-CP, there are common types of work permits granted to foreigners in the following qualifications and jobs, including:

Work Permit For Experts:

They can be further categorized into Business Experts, Technical Experts, Marketing Experts, Culinary Experts, and Language Teachers. The experts mentioned above will be considered for expert positions because of their professional knowledge in the respective field.

The following are the conditions based upon which a foreign Expert is allowed to work in Vietnam under the law:

• They hold a bachelor’s degree or higher qualification or an equivalent qualification and have at least three years of experience in the position to which they are appointed in Vietnam or
• At least five years of experience in the concerned position when accompanied by a practice certificate.
• In certain cases, they are entitled to an allowance in accordance with each particular case under the Prime Minister’s decision at the proposal of the Vietnam Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs.

Work Permit For Managers And Executive Directors:

It is expected that the Managers will carry out the administration and management of any business entity and, at the same time, take the position of head or deputy head of an agency or organization. The Executive Directors are described as the highest-ranking executives of the agencies, organizations, or businesses undertaking the direct management of any unit or division within.

For the foreign workers who are applying for a Vietnam work permit, the Managers and Executive Directors should have the following qualifications:

• They must be appointed by a resolution or a decision, whichever is stated in the charter of the company or the statutes and regulations of operation, whichever is applied to the respective organization or enterprise.
• They must also have a certificate of business registration, establishment, establishment decision, or other documents of legal validity.

Work Permit For Technical Workers:

Some of the industries that a Technical Worker could find employment in include electrical industries, automotive technologies, machinery technologies, and food technologies.

The issuance of a work permit for a foreigner who is a Technical Worker shall be granted upon meeting all of the following requirements:

• The employee has received at least one year of formal training relevant to the job in Vietnam, to which they will be regularly employed for at least three consecutive years.
• They can also be qualified with at least five years of experience in the position that corresponds to the job position in question without formal training.

How To Get A Vietnam Work Visa

To obtain a work visa Vietnam, a company and a foreign employee must undergo the following five easy steps: 

Work visa Vietnam for foreigners. Source: maisonoffice.vn

Step 1: Prepare The Documents – By The Company

The company-based Vietnam shall prepare the following for the application for a work permit:

• Business registration certificate, investment license, or operation license, depending upon the type of company concerned.
• Certificate of the company’s seal specimen or a statement of seal use.
• Form NA16 – Registration form for the seal and signature of its legal representative.
• Form NA5 – Application for visa, extension of visa, or extension of stay.
• 3×4 cm photo of foreign worker
• Work permit or work permit exemption certificate.
• A copy of a valid passport of the foreign worker.

Form NA16 – Document to introduce the seal and signature of the authorized person of the organization. Source: visatop.vn

Step 2: Submit The Documents

All these documents will be submitted to the Vietnam Immigration Department or the local Immigration Office in the city or province where the representative of the company locates the company. For examples:

• Headquarters in Hanoi: 44-46 Tran Phu Street, Ba Dinh District.
• Headquarters in Ho Chi Minh City: 333-335-337 Nguyen Trai Street, District 1.

They will be given a receipt with the date when they should come to get the visa result upon submission. If the visa is to be stamped at an overseas Vietnamese embassy/consulate, then there is a charge for faxing. Submission hours are Monday to Friday and Saturday morning.

The processing time needed for a work visa application request to be dealt with will generally be 5 to 15 working days.

Step 3: Obtain The Visa Letter

The company representative will visit the Immigration Office on the date specified and collect the visa letter.

Step 4: Contact The Foreign Worker

On receiving the visa letter, the entity or company so concerned informs the foreign worker and sends the letter by email, fax, or courier.

Step 5: Completion Of Visa Process And Fees

The foreign worker shall submit their NA1 Visa Application Form with a 4×6 cm photo attached to the original passport and a copy of the visa letter to the Vietnamese embassy/consulate in the home country. Pay accordingly for the required fee to get the work visa stamped into the passport.

NA1 Visa Application Form. Source: accgroup.vn

The process for a working visa application in Vietnam can be quite complicated, especially for companies and foreign employees not attuned to local requirements. It is a multi-stepped process with different submissions, which sometimes change because the laws are continuously updated.

This process would be easier with ERA’s Employer of Record (EOR) service, which is an all-in-one service. We turn into the legal employer in Vietnam, taking care of everything from work permit issuance to sponsoring work visas, right down to managing taxes and payroll for full compliance with the latest labor law in Vietnam for foreigners.

This value proposition is of particular importance to those companies that either do not have a local entity or that want to scale up fast and efficiently. For more information on how our customized recruitment solutions can support and accelerate your global growth, feel free to contact us today!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can a foreigner work in Vietnam?

Yes. A foreigner can work in Vietnam if they are granted a valid work permit or, in the cases put forward by Vietnamese labor law, they are at least 18 years old and have the necessary technical, professional, or vocational qualifications and experience; being in good health; having no unresolved criminal record or not being under criminal prosecution under laws either of Vietnam or a foreign country.

2. Can US citizens work in Vietnam?

Yes, the citizens of the United States can work in Vietnam on a valid work permit. In order to get a valid work permit, they have to be offered a job, have relevant qualifications to perform certain jobs and have a clean record. The application for a work permit is to be handled by the employer’s side in Vietnam.

3. Can I convert a Vietnam tourist visa to a work permit?

Yes, it is possible, but you have to find a job with a company in Vietnam that can apply for a work permit; you can only change the purpose of your visa with employer sponsorship and administrative paperwork involved.

4. Can I get a work permit in Vietnam without a degree?

Yes. Specifically, foreign workers who can get a work permit in Vietnam without a University degree would fall under the category of either manager status in the company, legal representative of the company, member of the board of directors, or an expert in some technical area with extensive relevant work experience and with a recognized certificate proving expertise in the specific professional area.