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Workers

Vietnam Issues New Decree Regulating Foreign Worker Regulations

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

On 7 August 2025, the Vietnamese Government introduced Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP, replacing previous regulations and providing clear guidance for both employers and employees. The new decree aims to attract high-quality talent in priority sectors by streamlining the work permit application process, expanding exemption cases, and relaxing requirements for "experts" and "technicians." The decree also decentralizes authority and establishes new rules for work permit exemption certificates.

Key Takeaways:

  • Decree 219 integrates the work permit application process into a single procedure, reducing the statutory processing time from 20 working days to 10 working days.
  • The decree expands the list of cases where a foreign worker is exempt from a work permit, including high-value capital contributors, priority sector professionals, and short-term work.
  • The conditions to qualify as an "expert" or "technician" have been eased, including reducing the required relevant work experience and education.
  • The authority for issuing, re-issuing, extending, and revoking work permits and work permit exemption certificates is now transferred to provincial-level People's Committees.
  • The decree introduces clear procedures for the re-issuance, extension, and revocation of work permit exemption certificates.
  • Foreign managers, executives, experts, or technicians entering Vietnam for short-term assignments of less than 90 days per calendar year are now eligible for exemption.

Statistics:

  • 7 August 2025: The date Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP was issued.
  • 20 working days: The previous statutory timeline for the two-step work permit application process.
  • 10 working days: The new statutory processing time for a work permit application.
  • VND 3 billion: The minimum capital contribution required for a high-value capital contributor to be exempt from a work permit.
  • 2 years: The reduced relevant work experience required for experts in non-priority sectors.
  • 1 year: The reduced relevant work experience required for experts in priority sectors.
  • 3 years: The reduced relevant work experience required for technicians.

Sources:

  • Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP (Vietnam Government)
  • Duane Morris LLP
  • Mondaq Ltd

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