Work permit requirements, Work Permit exemption, When to apply, Required documents, How to apply, Processing time and Cost, Work permit termination
Vietnam work permit is an official certificate issued by the Department of Labor, Invalid and Society to allow its holder to work in Vietnam legally. It cannot be applied directly by the workers/foreigners, but with the assistance of their employers or a service center in Vietnam. And Vietnam work permit is an important paper to apply for a temporary residence card or a working visa for Vietnam.
In order to be eligible for Vietnam work permit application, the foreigners have employment in a company/entity registered and recognized in Vietnam.
The maximum validity of a work permit for foreigners working in Vietnam is 2 years, and its extension is available.
Now, in this post, we will take you through details about the work permit for Vietnam.
Vietnam Work Permit Requirements
To get a work permit in Vietnam, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Over 18 years old
- Have a good health condition that satisfies the job’s specific demands and requirements.
- Free of any criminal record in their country or a national security offense, not currently facing criminal prosecution, or not serving a criminal sentence by the Vietnamese and foreign policemen during the assignment.
- Have a high degree of specialized knowledge, technology, and qualification; experienced in business, management and other professions that Vietnamese labors are currently unable to conduct efficiently.
Vietnam Work Permit Exemption
Do you need a work permit to work in Vietnam? In fact, some foreigners are eligible for Vietnam work permit exemption.
When to Apply for Vietnam Work Permit?
According to the Circular No. 23/2017/TT-BLDTBXH guiding the online grant of work permits to foreign workers in Vietnam, the foreigner’s employer or his agent shall, at least 13 working days before the date the foreigner is expected to start working, fill in the request form and required documents to the Department of Labor – Invalids and Social Affairs to apply for the work permit.
Required documents to get a work permit for Vietnam?
Here comes the list of documents that you and your employer need to prepare so that you can apply for the work permit for Vietnam:
- Request form for Vietnam work permit (Form No. 7 issued together with the Circular No. 40/2016/TT-BLDTBXH. You can download it here);
- Health check certificate;
- Criminal records (issued within 180 days), if applicants have stayed more than 6 months in Vietnam, they will have to provide both Vietnamese criminal records, & the criminal record from their home countries (you can see step-by-step guide to get criminal record in Vietnam here);
- Certified copy of your certificate/degree;
- Working experience confirmation document from former employers;
- Passport and valid visa (Copy);
- Approval certificate which allows the employer to use foreign workers from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs or the People’s Committee where the employer resides. This certificate should be applied for at least 20 days before the expected date of recruitment of foreign workers by the employer. (Download this application form, fill it out and send it to the authority mentioned above);
- Certified copy of the Employer’s Business Registration Certificate;
- 02 4*6cm photos (see the photos requirements here);
- Employment contract.
What if I do not have my certificate/degree?
A common question that foreign workers have had about work permit for Vietnam is: “How to apply for Vietnam work permit without a degree?” To reply, please note if you want to apply for a work permit but have no certificate or diploma of recognition, you must have a written certification of at least five years’ experience in your profession, production execution and management issued by a competent foreign agency.
Vietnam work permit processing time and cost
The work permit request processing time is totally 20 working days (after receiving full required documents), including:
- 12 working days for online approval;
- 08 working days for granting the work permit.
But all are highly recommended to carry out the procedure at least 20 days before the expected work start date of the foreigners.
The cost for Vietnam work permit varies by the province/city where you submit your application forms.
Vietnam Work Permit Termination
A work permit may be terminated if:
- The work permit has been expired.
- Labor contract has been terminated.
- The content of the labor contract is not consistent with the granted work permit.
- The contracts of business, trade, finance, banking, insurance, science and technology, culture, sports, education, or medicine have been expired or terminated.
- The foreign employer announced the termination of the foreign employee working in Vietnam.
- Work permit launched by authorized state agencies has been withdrawn.
- The operation of the company, organization, and partners in Vietnam has been terminated.
- The validity of the work permit for Vietnam is 2 years. And then, if you wish to work in Vietnam for longer, you can apply for work permit extension/renewal. But if you want to return to your home country or move to another country for work, before leaving Vietnam, your Work Permit needs to be canceled with the assistance of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Foreign Affairs. Foreign employees should return the permit to their employer within fifteen (15) days from the date that their employment ends. It is the employer’s responsibility to submit the permit with a notification letter to the local office of the Labor Department.
