New regulations on granting work permit for foreign workers in Viet Nam

The Government issued Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP dated August 7, 2025, on foreign workers working in Vietnam. This Decree introduces several new regulations on the issuance of work permits for foreign workers in Vietnam.

Amendments to the Dossier for Work Permit Application

Specifically, Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP revises regulations by integrating the procedure for reporting and explaining the demand for employing foreign workers into the procedure for submitting a work permit application dossier. Under the new regulations, the dossier for applying for a work permit includes:

1. A written request from the employer reporting and explaining the demand for employing foreign workers and requesting the issuance of a work permit (using Form No. 03 in the Appendix issued together with this Decree).

2. A health certificate issued by a qualified medical examination and treatment establishment, except in cases where the health examination results have already been connected and shared on the Information System for the Management of Medical Examination and Treatment Activities or the national health database. For health certificates issued by competent foreign medical establishments, they may be used in cases where Vietnam and the country or territory issuing the health certificate have treaties or mutual recognition agreements, provided that the validity period of such health certificate does not exceed 12 months from the date of issuance.

3. A valid passport.

4. A criminal record certificate or a document confirming that the foreign worker is not serving a criminal sentence, has no unexpunged criminal record, and is not currently under criminal prosecution in either a foreign country or Vietnam (issued no more than 6 months prior to the date of submission of the dossier, unless the procedures for granting a criminal record certificate and a work permit have been carried out through the integrated administrative procedure as prescribed).

5. Two color photos (size 4 cm x 6 cm, white background, full face, bareheaded, without glasses).

6. Documents proving the form of employment of the foreign worker, which shall be one of the following:

   a) A document from the foreign employer assigning the foreign worker to work on a temporary basis at the commercial presence in the territory of Vietnam and confirming that the foreign worker has been employed by the foreign employer for at least 12 consecutive months immediately prior to entering Vietnam, applicable to cases where the foreign worker works in Vietnam in the form of an intra-corporate transferee.

   b) A document from the employer assigning the foreign worker, together with the contract or agreement signed, applicable to cases where the foreign worker works in Vietnam in a position to perform economic, social contracts or agreements and participate in the implementation of bidding packages or projects in Vietnam.

   c) A service contract signed between the Vietnamese and foreign partners, and a document proving that the foreign worker has worked for the foreign enterprise without a commercial presence in Vietnam for at least 24 months, applicable to cases where the foreign worker works in Vietnam as a contractual service supplier.

   d) In cases where the foreign worker enters Vietnam to offer services, a document from the service provider assigning the foreign worker to Vietnam for service negotiations is required.

   đ) A document from the foreign employer assigning the foreign worker to work in Vietnam in a position consistent with the intended job position, applicable to cases where the foreign worker is transferred from an overseas agency, organization, or enterprise to work in Vietnam, except for cases of intra-corporate transferees.

   e) For foreign workers working in Vietnam as the Chairman of the Board of Directors or a member of the Board of Directors of a joint-stock company, or as the owner or a member of a limited liability company with a capital contribution of less than 3 billion VND, documents proving that they are a manager in accordance with regulations must be provided.

7. Documents proving that the foreign worker is a manager, executive director, expert, or technical worker as prescribed.

The time limit for issuing a work permit is 10 days from the date of receipt of a complete dossier.

Note:

• Within a period of 60 days but not less than 10 days prior to the date on which the foreign worker is expected to commence work, the employer shall submit the dossier for work permit issuance to the Public Administrative Service Center at the locality where the foreign worker is expected to work.

• At least 10 days but no more than 45 days before the expiration of the work permit, the employer shall submit the dossier for work permit extension to the Public Administrative Service Center at the locality where the foreign worker is working.

• For foreign workers working in Vietnam under a labor contract or under a labor contract with foreign diplomatic missions or foreign organizations in Vietnam, after the foreign worker has been granted a work permit, the employer and the foreign worker must sign a written labor contract in accordance with the provisions of Vietnamese labor law prior to the expected commencement date of employment.

Contact Information:

Ta Pha Law Firm
07 Nguyen Van Troi Street, Phu Nhuan Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
☎️ +84 972 633 633
Mail: info@taphagroup.com