Immigration

Vietnam | New work permit regulations for foreign employees

Summary

On 7 August 2025, the Vietnamese Government issued Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP (“Decree 219”), introducing significant changes to the work permit regime for foreign employees in Vietnam. The new Decree replaces Decree No. 152/2020/ND-CP and Decree No. 70/2023/ND-CP and took immediate effect on the date of issuance.

Decree 219 addresses key concerns raised by employers, foreign workers, and business travelers, and is largely viewed as a move toward a more efficient, transparent, and business-friendly regulatory environment. While many of these changes are positive developments that simplify procedures and reduce requirements, several points may require further implementation guidance to determine how they will be applied in practice.

The detail

On 7 August 2025, the Vietnamese Government issued Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP (“Decree 219”) regarding foreigners working in Vietnam. Decree 219 replaces Decree No. 152/2020/ND-CP and Decree No. 70/2023/ND-CP, dated 30 December 2020 and 18 September 2023, respectively. Decree 219 took effect immediately upon issuance.

Key highlights of Decree 219:

Simplified labour usage and job posting

Under the new Decree, the labour usage plan and job posting process are now integrated into the work permit application, eliminating the need for separate prior approvals in most cases. However, for foreign employees hired under local employment contracts (such as local hires), the job posting requirement remains mandatory as retained from the previous decree. Job posting process continues to be a prerequisite for this category of applicants.

Updated definitions of “Executive”, “Expert” and “Technical Worker”

• For experts, the required work experience has been reduced from 3 years to 2 years.
• Further reductions apply for individuals in priority sectors such as finance, science, technology, innovation, national digital transformation, or fields prioritized by the Vietnamese Government or under a cooperation agreement.
• For technical workers, the requirements for training and work experience have been eased.
• The definition of “executive” now includes individuals managing a business unit within an agency or enterprise. However, a stricter requirement applies to this newly added group, as this group must have at least 3 years of relevant experience, a requirement not imposed on roles like Head of a Branch or Head of a Representative Office, reflecting a more tiered and nuanced approach to classifying executive positions.

Work permit exemption widened

The previous exemption of 30 days per trip and up to 3 trips per year for individual on short term assignment/business travelers has been removed. Now, a foreign national is exempt from a work permit if the total working period in Vietnam is less than 90 days in a calendar year. However, a notification of exemption is still required to be submitted to the authorities.

Clearer and faster processing timelines

Decree 219 introduces more transparent and, in some cases, shortened processing times for applications related to work permit issuance, renewal, exemption, cancellation, and reissuance.

Work permit for employees working in multiple locations

Applications for employees working in multiple provinces will now be centrally handled by the People’s Committee where the employer’s registered office is located, streamlining the process.

Reduced documentation requirements

Employers are no longer required to submit labour contracts and bi-annual reports unless specifically requested by the authorities.

Use of standardized job codes

Instead of stating job titles, applicants must now use job codes from a designated list in work permit applications.

New work permit application forms introduced

All submissions must now use the updated standard forms introduced under the new Decree.

What this means

The new Decree targets three core improvements and focuses on:

1. Easing restrictive provisions from prior decrees to support businesses and attract foreign talent.
2. Clarifying and streamlining administrative procedures, thereby improving efficiency.
3. Strengthening enforcement, supported by clearer rules and processes.

We recommend that employers review their current foreign workforce arrangements considering these changes to ensure continued compliance. Employers and foreign workers should review the updated criteria for each work permit category prior to submission to ensure eligibility and reduce the risk of rejection.

The introduction of job codes helps the Government standardize and streamline processes, while also enhancing enforcement efforts against non-compliant or unauthorized foreign employment. The standardized job codes enable greater oversight.

A guiding Circular detailing the practical implementation of Decree 219 is expected to be issued soon. This will likely provide additional clarity on application procedures, documentation, and transitional matters.

Contact us

For a deeper discussion on the above, please reach out to your Vialto Partners point of contact, or alternatively:

Brittany Chong 
Partner

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