REQUIREMENT & DETAILED GUIDANCE ON VIETNAM WORK PERMIT FOR FOREIGN EXPATRIATES

Full Procedure of Obtaining a Vietnam Work Permit

 Detailed Breakdown of Every Step in Vietnam Work Permit issuance

STEP 1:
 Doing Posting Recruitment on Ho Chi Minh City Employment Service Center

📌 Key Requirement:

• Access the website of the Ho Chi Minh City Employment Service Center to create a recruitment account.
• Prepare the job posting form (electronic signatures are accepted).
• Upload the prepared form and track the application status on the link:  https://vieclamhcm.com.vn/ 

⏳ Processing time: 15 days

🏢 Responsible authority: Ho Chi Minh City Employment Service Center

STEP 2:
 Applying Position Approval Letter that the foreign expatriates expected to work

📌 Key Requirement:

• Job posting download form the website
• Submit a demand explanation report (Form 1/ Form 2) to Department of Home Affairs
• It is recommended to proceed with Step 2 approximately 5 to 7 days after completing Step 1.

⏳ Processing time: 10 working days (excluding the date of submission)

🏢 Responsible authority: Department of Home Affairs

STEP 3:
 Applying for Vietnam Work Permit for foreign expatriates  

📌 Key Requirement:

• Step 2 Result: Approval letter for the job position
• Required Checklist as table below
• Permitted submission time for Step 3: Immediately after receiving the Step 2 result and once all required documents are prepared.

⏳ Processing time: 5 working days (excluding the date of submission)

🏢 Responsible authority: Department of Home Affairs

No.

Name of Required Documents Checklist for Work Permit Issuance

Detailed Guidance for Work Permit Document Preparation

Personal Requirement from Foreign Expatriate

1

Photographs

Two 4x6 cm color photos with a white background, facing forward, no headwear, taken within the last 6 months.

2

Health Check Certificate or Medical Report

- If issued in Vietnam: Submit the Original Work Permit Health Check Certificate confirming that the applicant is “Fit to Work”.
- If issued overseas: The Work Permit Health Check Certificate must include a “Fit to Work” conclusion and be legalized before being used in Vietnam.

3

Criminal record or Police Check

- If you do in abroad -> Get the legalization stamp at Vietnamese Embassy in abroad;
- If you do in Vietnam -> No need for legalization.

4

Certificate of Bachelor Degree/ Master Degree

Legalization at Vietnamese Embassy in abroad.

5

Confirmation of experience

- Legalization at Vietnamese Embassy in abroad;
- Confirmation of experience showing at least 3 years of experience relevant to the job position intended in Vietnam.

6

Manager Appointment letter

- If applying for a work permit for Manager;
- Legalization at Vietnamese Embassy in abroad.

7

Appointment letter from the head company

If applying for a work permit for Expert with the working form: Internal transfer.

8

Current and Valid Passport of the Manager/Expert/Technical Worker

Due the the latest Decree 70/2023/ND-CP, Passport of the applicant is required in notarized copy, which can be prepared in one of the following ways:

• Notarized true copy by the Sponsoring Company; or
• Notarized true copy by Notary Public Office.

Document Requirement from Vietnam Sponsoring Company

1

Work Permit  Application Form

Form No. 11/PLI and Authorized letter as issued in Decree 152/2020/ND-CP, updated per Decree 70/2023/ND-CP.

2

Business License

Notarized true copy, to be submitted in the following cases:

• Job assignment: Expert; Working form: Internal transfer;
• Job assignment: Manager.

3

Company Charter

If applying for a work permit for Manager