HCMC – Although HCMC has streamlined the procedure for issuing work permits for foreigners since last month, many businesses have still complained about the tedious work permit issuance process.
The time-consuming work permit issuance process was one of the main issues discussed at a dialogue between businesses and HCMC leaders held on April 6.
A EuroCharm member business said it had spent two months waiting for a work permit application to be processed.
Sharing the same view, many other businesses suggested the HCMC labour department shorten the time and said it took them seven to 10 days to obtain a receipt after they made an online submission.
As businesses can now apply online, the number of requests has soared, which needs time to handle.
According to businesses, the requirements for foreign experts to have a college degree or equivalent and at least three years of experience in their area of expertise for their jobs in Vietnam are impractical as many people are working in the fields different from what they studied at college.
A work permit has a term of two years and can be extended once with a maximum of two years, making life hard for those who want to work in Vietnam beyond that duration. When they are in this situation, they will have to re-apply for a new work permit.
