HCMC – The Ministry of Home Affairs has proposed reducing the time required for foreign workers to get a work permit from 36 days to 10 days. This is an effort to simplify procedures and make better use of online systems.
According to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), the Ministry of Justice is currently appraising a draft Government decree on foreign workers in Vietnam, developed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
One key proposal is to combine the step of reporting the demand for foreign labor with the work permit application procedure. This streamlined process would allow for a maximum processing time of 10 days, based on the date the application is submitted.
Another notable adjustment involves the criteria for defining a foreign expert. Under the revised draft, individuals who hold only a university degree—without prior work experience—may still be eligible to work in Vietnam in fields such as finance, science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation. This provision particularly applies to graduates from nations with close ties, such as Lao students who have completed their studies in Vietnam.
The Ministry of Home Affairs also suggests that experts working in specialized sectors, including finance, science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation, as well as lecturers, could be exempt from requiring work permits. However, these individuals must be certified as experts by relevant specialized ministries such as the Ministry of Science and Technology or the Ministry of Education and Training.
In terms of decentralization, the Ministry of Home Affairs will retain authority over specific cases, such as foreign employees working for government or international organizations, those working across multiple provinces, or those employed by companies headquartered in one locality with branches in another.
The draft permits employers to choose whether to carry out procedures with the Ministry of Home Affairs or with competent provincial-level authorities. At the local level, the people’s committees of provinces are designated as the main authority to process applications and may delegate responsibilities to specialized agencies, such as the Department of Home Affairs.
The draft also emphasizes the use of digital platforms, calling for the development of a unified database on foreign workers in Vietnam. This database will be connected to other systems managing foreign nationals, enabling better tracking and accuracy.
As of the end of 2024, Vietnam had approximately 161,992 foreign workers, of whom 149,195 required work permits. Workers from China accounted for the largest share at 30.9%, followed by South Korea (18.3%), Taiwan (12.9%), and Japan (9.5%). Workers from other countries and territories made up 28.4%.
