Getting a Vietnam work permit can feel like navigating a maze of ever-changing regulations, confusing Vietnamese forms, and strict documentary requirements that seem designed to trip up even the most organized expat. Many foreign professionals arrive in Vietnam with a job offer in hand, only to discover that their university degree was never consular-legalized, their criminal record check has expired, or their job title doesn't fit into any of the four legally permitted categories. The result is weeks of delays, mounting frustration, and sometimes the need to leave the country and start over. This guide breaks down the work permit process under Vietnam's current legal framework, including Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP, which took effect on August 7, 2025, and fundamentally changed how work permits are issued. You will find the exact document checklist, a copyable demand report template, and the step-by-step procedure to get your permit approved.
What Is a Vietnam Work Permit and Who Needs One?
A Vietnam work permit (Giấy phép lao động) is a legal document issued by provincial-level People's Committees, typically through the Department of Home Affairs or Industrial/Economic Zone Authorities, that grants a foreign national the right to work legally in Vietnam. Employers who wish to hire foreign workers via employment contracts must post the vacancy publicly for Vietnamese workers prior to hiring foreign nationals. After completing this step, the employer may proceed with a work permit application.
The legal foundation is the Labor Code 2019, specifically Article 151, which imposes four conditions on the foreign employee: being at least 18 years old with full civil act capacity; holding the professional qualifications, experience, and health required; not serving a sentence, holding an unspent conviction, or being under criminal prosecution; and holding a work permit issued by a competent Vietnamese authority.
Employers may only recruit foreign employees into four defined position categories: Manager, Executive Director, Expert, or Technical Worker. These positions must be ones that Vietnamese employees are not yet able to fill according to production and business needs.
Which Category Do You Fall Into? Manager, Executive Director, Expert, or Technical Worker
Before you begin gathering documents, you must determine which of the four legal position categories applies to your role. Each category has its own definition and supporting document requirements under Article 3 of Decree 219/2025/ND-CP.
- Manager: A business manager as defined in Clause 24, Article 4 of the Law on Enterprises, or the head or deputy head of an agency or organization. There is no minimum years of experience requirement, but the capacity must be evidenced by the company charter together with documents proving managerial status, or by an appointment or transfer decision.
- Executive Director: There are two sub-cases. The head of a branch, representative office, or business location needs only that unit's operation registration certificate. The second case is a person who heads and directly runs one field of the enterprise, and here at least 3 years of experience in a field matching the intended position in Vietnam is mandatory.
- Expert: This is the largest category. Under Decree 219, there are two routes: (a) holding a university degree or higher and having at least 2 years of work experience matching the position to be held in Vietnam; or (b) holding a university degree or higher in a specific field with corresponding experience. The expert experience requirement was reduced from 3 years to 2 years under Decree 219.
- Technical Worker: Generally requires at least 1 year of specialized training and 2–3 years of relevant experience, depending on the specific case.
Required Documents Checklist for a Vietnam Work Permit
Your application dossier must include the following documents. This checklist is based on Article 18 of Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP and the implementing guidance from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Written report from the employer — Explaining the need to employ foreign workers and requesting a work permit, using Form No. 03 in the Appendix attached to Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP.
- Health certificate — Issued by a qualified medical facility. Health certificates issued by foreign medical institutions may be accepted if Vietnam and the issuing country have a mutual-recognition arrangement. The certificate must not exceed 12 months from the date of issuance.
- Valid passport — Must be valid with sufficient remaining duration. A certified copy or the original may be required.
- Criminal record certificate — Or a document confirming that the foreign worker is not currently serving a sentence, has not had their criminal record expunged, or is not under criminal investigation. Issued by a foreign country or by Vietnam no more than 6 months prior to the date of application submission. This may be waived where the employer conducts the application via the interconnected administrative procedure on the National Public Service Portal.
- Two color photographs — 4 cm x 6 cm, white background, face looking straight ahead, head uncovered, no glasses. For online submissions, a JPEG file is required.
- Documents proving the form of employment — One of the following, depending on your situation:
- For intra-corporate transferees: A document from the foreign employer assigning the worker to a commercial presence in Vietnam, confirming at least 12 consecutive months of prior employment with the foreign employer.
- For service providers: A service contract signed between the Vietnamese and foreign parties, and a document proving the worker has worked for the foreign enterprise without a commercial presence in Vietnam for at least 24 months.
- For contractual employment: Documents from the employer assigning the foreign worker, along with the signed contract or agreement.
- Consular-legalized university degree — Your degree must be consular-legalized by the Vietnamese embassy or consulate in the country of issuance, then translated into Vietnamese and notarized. This is a common reason for rejection when overlooked.
- Experience confirmation letters — From former employers, clearly stating your position, duration of employment, and duties. These must be specific and consistent with the proposed job title in Vietnam.
Form No. 03 Field-by-Field Translation & Breakdown
Form No. 03 is the employer's report explaining the need to employ foreign workers. While it is a Vietnamese-language form, understanding each field is essential to avoid errors that could result in the entire dossier being returned.
- Tên người sử dụng lao động / Employer name: Full legal name of the company or organization.
- Địa chỉ trụ sở chính / Head office address: Registered business address.
- Mã số doanh nghiệp / Enterprise registration number: The company's business registration number.
- Vị trí công việc dự kiến / Proposed job position: The specific title and category (Manager, Executive Director, Expert, or Technical Worker).
- Số lượng lao động nước ngoài / Number of foreign workers: How many foreign employees are being requested for this position.
- Lý do sử dụng lao động nước ngoài / Reason for employing foreign workers: A detailed justification explaining why a qualified Vietnamese candidate is not available. This is not a checkbox — it requires a formal recruitment announcement, a documented outcome, and a written justification.
- Trình độ chuyên môn, kinh nghiệm / Professional qualifications and experience: Details of the candidate's degree, certifications, and years of relevant experience.
- Thời hạn làm việc dự kiến / Expected duration of employment: The proposed contract period.
Copyable Template: Employer's Report on Foreign Labor Demand (Form No. 03)
Below is a copyable template for the employer's written report and work permit request. Replace all bracketed placeholders with your company's actual information. This document must be printed on the company's official letterhead, signed, and sealed by the authorized representative.
SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
Independence - Freedom - Happiness
--------o0o-------- [Date: DD/MM/YYYY] REPORT ON THE NEED TO EMPLOY FOREIGN WORKERS
AND REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF A WORK PERMIT To: The Department of Home Affairs
[Province/City Name]
[Address] Employer Information:
Company Name: [Company Full Legal Name]
Enterprise Registration Number: [Company Registration Number]
Head Office Address: [Company Address in Vietnam]
Represented by: [Full Name of Legal Representative]
Position: [Position/Title]
Contact Phone: [Phone Number]
Email: [Email Address] We hereby report our need to employ foreign workers for the following position and request the issuance of a work permit: Position Information:
Job Title: [Proposed Job Title]
Position Category: [Manager / Executive Director / Expert / Technical Worker]
Number of Foreign Workers Requested: [Number]
Expected Duration of Employment: [Start Date] to [End Date] Candidate Information:
Full Name: [Candidate Full Name]
Nationality: [Nationality]
Date of Birth: [DD/MM/YYYY]
Passport Number: [Passport Number]
University Degree: [Degree and Field of Study]
Years of Relevant Experience: [Number] years Reason for Employing Foreign Worker:
[Provide a detailed, specific justification. Include:
- The recruitment efforts made to find a qualified Vietnamese candidate
- The specific qualifications, skills, or experience the foreign candidate possesses that are not available in the local market
- How the position aligns with the company's business operations
- Why the role cannot reasonably be filled by a Vietnamese national] We confirm that the above-named foreign worker meets all the conditions for work permit issuance under Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP and commit to full compliance with Vietnamese labor and immigration laws. Respectfully, [Signature and Full Name]
[Company Seal]
Official Submission Step-by-Step Procedure
Follow these steps in order. Under Decree 219, the formerly separate procedural steps have been integrated into a single unified process through the National Public Service Portal.
- Step 1: Post the recruitment announcement. Before applying for a work permit, the employer must publicly post the vacancy for Vietnamese workers. This may be done on job portals operated by local employment service centers or through other recruitment channels selected by the employer.
- Step 2: Obtain the health certificate. The foreign worker must undergo a health examination at a qualified medical facility. If the examination is performed in Vietnam, results may be connected to the national healthcare database and submitted electronically. Foreign health certificates are accepted if a mutual-recognition arrangement exists.
- Step 3: Obtain the criminal record certificate. Apply for a criminal record certificate from the relevant authority in your home country or, if you have been residing in Vietnam, from the Vietnamese judicial authority. The certificate must be issued no more than 6 months before the application date.
- Step 4: Legalize and translate documents. Your university degree and experience confirmation letters must be consular-legalized by the Vietnamese embassy or consulate in the country of issuance, then translated into Vietnamese and notarized.
- Step 5: Complete Form No. 03. The employer prepares the written report explaining the need to employ foreign workers, using Form No. 03 under Decree 219/2025/ND-CP. The justification for foreign labor must be detailed and specific.
- Step 6: Submit the application. The employer submits the complete dossier through the National Public Service Portal or directly at the provincial Department of Home Affairs or Industrial/Economic Zone Authority, depending on the employer's location.
- Step 7: Wait for processing. The competent authority has 10 working days from the date of receiving a complete dossier to consider approving the demand and issue the work permit. If refused, a written explanation must be provided within 3 working days.
- Step 8: Receive the work permit. If approved, the work permit is issued using Form No. 04 in the Appendix attached to Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP. Collect the permit and proceed with obtaining the LD work visa and, subsequently, a Temporary Residence Card.
Common Mistakes & Rejection Warnings
- Unlegalized university degree. A degree that has not been consular-legalized is one of the most common reasons for rejection. The document must be legalized by the Vietnamese embassy or consulate in the issuing country and translated into Vietnamese.
- Weak or inconsistent experience letters. Experience confirmation letters that are missing, vague, or show a job history that does not match the proposed job title in Vietnam will result in rejection.
- Generic job descriptions. When a job description is too general, or the required qualifications are ones the local market can clearly meet, the application gets rejected. The necessity for foreign labor must be clearly established.
- Job category mismatch. The position title may sound senior, but if the actual duties described read as routine operational work, the classification falls apart under review. Ensure the job title and duties align with one of the four permitted categories.
- Expired health or criminal record certificates. Health certificates must not exceed 12 months from issuance. Criminal record certificates must be issued no more than 6 months before the application date.
- Skipping the Vietnamese recruitment step. Companies that skip the mandatory public posting of the vacancy for Vietnamese workers lose the legal basis for the application before it even begins.
- Incomplete dossier submission. If the dossier is incomplete or contains errors, it may be returned in its entirety, requiring the employer to wait a full 10 working days from the date of a new submission.
Official Processing Time, Fees & Submission Locations
Processing Time
- Standard processing: 10 working days from receipt of a complete dossier.
- Refusal notification: If the work permit is not issued, a written explanation must be provided within 3 working days from receipt of a complete dossier.
- Re-issuance: 3 working days.
- Extension: 10 working days.
Official Government Fees
Work permit fees vary by province. Examples of current rates include:
- Quang Ninh province (2026–2030): New issuance: 480,000 VND/license. Re-issuance or renewal: 360,000 VND/license. There is a proposal to waive re-issuance and renewal fees entirely for 2026–2030.
- Lang Son province: Common fee of 450,000 VND/license for new issuance and extension.
- Other provinces: Fees generally range from 240,000 to 480,000 VND depending on the province and type of issuance. Always verify the exact fee at the local Department of Home Affairs before submission, as fee schedules are subject to change.
Submission Locations
The employer submits the application at one of the following locations:
- Provincial Department of Home Affairs (Sở Nội vụ) in the province where the employer is located.
- Industrial/Economic Zone Authorities (Ban Quản lý Khu công nghiệp/Khu kinh tế) for employers located within an industrial or economic zone.
- National Public Service Portal (dichvucong.gov.vn) for online submission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is the minimum experience required for a work permit as an Expert in Vietnam?
A: Under Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP, an Expert must hold a university degree or higher and have at least 2 years of work experience matching the position to be held in Vietnam. The experience requirement was reduced from 3 years to 2 years under the new decree.
Q2: How long does it take to process a Vietnam work permit application?
A: The competent authority has 10 working days from receipt of a complete dossier to consider approving the demand and issue the work permit. If refused, a written explanation must be provided within 3 working days.
Q3: Can I get a work permit if I only have a degree but no prior work experience?
A: No. For the Expert category, you must have at least 2 years of work experience matching the position, in addition to holding a university degree. For the Manager category, there is no minimum years of experience requirement, but you must provide evidence of your managerial capacity through the company charter or an appointment decision.
Q4: What is the most common reason a Vietnam work permit application is rejected?
A: The most common reasons include failure to consular-legalize the university degree, weak or inconsistent experience confirmation letters, generic job descriptions that fail to establish the necessity for foreign labor, and job category mismatches where the duties do not align with the proposed position title.
Q5: Do I need to leave Vietnam to apply for a work permit?
A: No. The work permit application is submitted by your employer in Vietnam. In some cases, if the authorities take a strict position, the foreign worker may need to enter Vietnam to obtain a medical examination report from a Vietnamese medical center to submit with the application.