Vietnam Work Permit FAQ: Eligibility, Cost & Exemptions

Updated 2026-07-07

Bringing a foreign hire into Vietnam, or wondering whether you even need a permit? These are the questions employers and expats ask us most under the new Decree 219/2025 — eligibility, exemptions, documents and timelines. We check the case and prepare the file while the authority issues the permit, and we're glad to look at your specific situation.

Does my foreign employee actually need a work permit?

Most foreign nationals taking up employment in Vietnam need a work permit (Giấy phép lao động), unless they fall into one of the exemption cases in Decree 219/2025. It is also the prerequisite for an employment-based temporary residence card later on. InTimeVisa checks eligibility and documents before filing; the government issues the permit, while we prepare, lodge and track the file.

I'm a foreign owner/investor in my own Vietnam company — do I need a work permit?

In general, an owner or capital-contributing member of an LLC whose contribution is VND 3 billion or more, or the chairman/board member of a joint-stock company at that level, is exempt from a work permit under Decree 219/2025. Below VND 3 billion you typically still have to prove you qualify as a manager or obtain a permit. Even when exempt you must still complete the exemption formality — a confirmation or a prior notification depending on your case — so let us verify exactly which one applies to you.

My employee is exempt — so there's nothing to do, right?

An exemption removes the permit itself, not the paperwork. For most exempt cases, the Vietnamese sponsor must still obtain a written work-permit-exemption confirmation from the authority before the person starts working. A defined set of cases, however, only require a prior notification to the authority — filed at least 3 working days before the person starts — instead of a confirmation (for example, a spouse of a Vietnamese citizen, certain short-term service or technical visitors, and licensed foreign lawyers). Either way, skipping the step can expose both the worker and the employer to penalties.

I'm sending someone to Vietnam for just a few weeks — do they need a work permit?

Under Decree 219/2025 the short-stay exemption is now a single rule: a foreigner working under 90 days in a calendar year (1 January to 31 December) is exempt from a work permit, and the old 'no more than 30 days at a time, 3 times a year' frequency cap has been removed. It is still an exemption from the permit, not from all procedure — depending on the category the sponsor completes an exemption confirmation or a prior notification. Tell us the length and frequency so we place you in the right track.

I'm married to a Vietnamese citizen — am I exempt from the work permit?

A foreigner married to a Vietnamese citizen and living with them in Vietnam is generally exempt from a work permit under Decree 219/2025. For this category the sponsor files a prior notification with the authority — at least 3 working days before you start work — rather than obtaining a confirmation letter, and your marriage documents must be valid. Each situation differs, so let us confirm your case before you start work.

I'm an intra-company transferee from the overseas parent to the Vietnam branch — what applies?

Certain intra-corporate transferees within a group already commercially present in Vietnam are exempt from a work permit, but only if the conditions are met (such as prior time with the group and a committed service sector). Depending on the category, a written exemption confirmation OR a prior notification is required — we assess which track applies. If you don't meet the exemption case, you apply for an ordinary work permit instead. We review the file to pick the right route.

How do I know if I'm eligible for a work permit?

You must fall into one of four categories: manager, executive director, expert, or technical worker. Decree 219/2025 lowered the thresholds: an expert needs a university degree and at least 2 years' relevant experience (only 1 year in certain priority fields such as science-technology, innovation and national digital transformation); a technical worker needs at least 1 year of training plus 2 years' experience, or at least 3 years' experience. You also need a clean criminal record, a health certificate, and a sponsoring employer.

What documents do I need to prepare?

The core file includes your passport; your degree/professional certificate, notarised, consular-legalised and translated into Vietnamese; proof of experience; a criminal-record certificate (issued within the last 6 months); a health certificate (within 12 months); and photos. Documents issued abroad must go through consular legalisation (often an apostille first, depending on the country) before Vietnam will accept them — usually the most time-consuming step.

Where is the work permit lodged now?

Under Decree 219/2025, the work permit is issued by the provincial People's Committee, which delegates intake and processing to its specialised agency — in most provinces this is now the Department of Home Affairs (Sở Nội vụ) after the mid-2025 merger, no longer the former Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs. Files go in through the provincial Public Administration Service Centre or the public-service portal. The old separate labour-demand report is now merged into the permit application itself.

How long does a work permit take?

Once the file is complete and valid, the authority issues the permit within 10 working days under Decree 219/2025. In practice the slow part is legalising overseas documents (degree, criminal record), which can take several weeks depending on the country. So it pays to start early — we handle the legalisation to shorten the overall timeline.

How long is a work permit valid, and can it be renewed?

A work permit is valid for a maximum of 2 years and may be renewed once (also up to 2 years) under Decree 219/2025. After that single renewal, you generally have to apply for a brand-new permit. Start the renewal before the current permit expires to avoid a gap in employment and in your residence card — we track the deadline and prepare the file for you.

How does the work permit connect to a temporary residence card (TRC)?

A work permit (or an exemption confirmation) is the prerequisite for an employment-based temporary residence card, which lets you live in Vietnam for several years without constantly renewing a visa. The TRC's validity is normally capped by the work permit's validity. We usually run the two steps back-to-back: the work permit first, then the TRC.

What happens if I change employer?

A work permit is tied to one specific employer and job position, so moving to a new company generally means applying for a new permit sponsored by the new employer — it is not a simple name transfer. Your employment-based residence card also has to be updated to match. Tell us before you switch jobs so your legal status isn't interrupted.

What happens if a foreigner works without a work permit?

It's a risk for both sides. Under Decree 12/2022 (Article 32), a worker without a permit (or an exemption confirmation) can be fined VND 15–25 million and be forced to exit or be deported. The employer can be fined VND 30–75 million if an individual, but VND 60–150 million if a company (organisations pay double), scaled by the number of workers involved. That's why it's worth completing the permit or exemption before anyone starts working.

I'm still abroad — can I get the work permit before moving to Vietnam?

Yes, and it's often the sensible order: your Vietnamese sponsor files the application while you prepare your criminal record, degree and legalisation in your home country first — the most time-consuming part. The health certificate can be done abroad at an approved facility or in Vietnam after you arrive. Tell us whether you're in or outside Vietnam so we sequence the documents correctly.