One 3 June 2025 in Ha Noi, the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) hosted an appraisal meeting for draft Decree replacing Decree No. 152/2020/NĐ-CP on work permit for foreigners in Vietnam. The meeting welcomed distinguished guests, including:
- Mr. Cao Dang Vinh – Deputy Director of the Department of Civil and Economic Laws, Ministry of Justice (MOJ)
- Ms. Nguyen Thi Quyen – Deputy Director, Department of Employment, Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA)
- Representatives of MOHA, MOJ, MOPS, MOD, MOF, MOIT, SBV, MOET, VCCI
- Representatives of Business Associations.
Representing EuroCham at the meeting, Ms. Huyen Nguyen – Vice-Chair of Human Resources and Training Sector Committee (HR&T SC), delivered key recommendations from the European business community.
Towards the approval of updated decree on work permit regulations
Streamlining work permit regulations has remained one of our members’ top concerns and EuroCham’s advocacy priorities for a long time. In 2025, throughout the review and appraisal process for the draft Decree replacing Decree No. 152/2020/NĐ-CP, EuroCham has been active in contributing practical insights and suggestions from the European Business Community in Vietnam.
- On 16 May, EuroCham co-hosted a dialogue with KoCham and MOHA to gather feedback directly from the foreign business community. This was followed by a formal letter to MOHA detailing our recommendations. Read our press release here: EuroCham urges recognition of experience in work permits, pushing for practical reforms in Decree 152 amendment – EuroCham
- On 28 May, as the draft decree was submitted to MOJ for review, EuroCham participated in another seminar co-hosted by MOHA and MOF to reinforce its suggestions and call for practical reforms. Read the recap here: EuroCham Strengthened Recommendations on Work Permits Regulations – EuroCham
- On 3 June, as the draft enters its finalisation stage before submission to the Government for review, EuroCham continues to contribute our recommendations in the appraisal meeting hosted by MOJ.
MOHA reaffirms focus on business facilitation
At the 3 June appraisal meeting, Ms. Nguyen Thi Quyen (MOHA) presented the key updates in the draft decree. She emphasised that the new Decree is designed to facilitate and support the operations of the business community in Vietnam. Representatives from various ministries and relevant agencies engaged in active discussions and provided feedback on the draft. Key issues raised included:
- The need for greater consistency and clarity in the decentralisation and delegation of implementation authority;
- The possibility of issuing work permits that allow foreign employees to work at multiple locations within Vietnam;
- Clearer identification and classification of priority groups eligible for more favourable procedures;
- Other legal and procedural concerns related to the practical implementation of the Decree.
Recommendations from EuroCham Vietnam
Building on the recommendations EuroCham shared at previous meetings on the new draft decree, Ms. Huyen Nguyen – Vice Chair of the HR&T SC shared further recommendations to improve clarity and ease of implementation for work permit regulations:
1. Procedures for Issuance of Work Permits
EuroCham proposes eliminating the requirement to obtain approval for the job position at each work location. Instead, we recommend centralising both job position approval and work permit issuance at the employer’s head office.
Additionally, for foreign workers assigned to work in multiple provinces or cities, submitting separate applications to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) should not be required. A single work permit should be issued by the labour authority at the employer’s head office, with notifications sent to each relevant locality.
2. Validity Period of Renewed Work Permits
The current restriction on the number of times a work permit can be renewed creates unnecessary complexity and disruption for both workers and employers. Preparing a new application dossier is more time-consuming than a renewal. Thus, requiring foreign workers to exit and re-enter Vietnam to prepare the same documents they prepared upon their initial application is impractical.
We recommend allowing unlimited renewals of work permits, returning to the flexibility provided under previous regulations, especially for workers continuing in the same role with the same employer.
3. Conditions for Foreign Workers Working in Vietnam
We propose removing the word “national” from the phrase “national digital transformation” to ensure broader applicability to enterprise-led projects in priority sectors.
While we understand that relevant Ministries and agencies may certify foreign experts for government-led projects, clarity is needed for businesses in the same sectors. Do these enterprises also need additional endorsements?
To streamline implementation, we recommend that the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) or relevant authorities issue an official list of fields that qualify under broad categories like science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation. This will help employers assess eligibility and prepare documentation accurately for work permit applications.
As the bridge between the Vietnamese Government and the European business community, EuroCham is committed to advocating for a transparent and business-friendly legal landscape in Vietnam. We will continue to provide the Government with practical, timely insights from EuroCham’s 1,400 members to support policymaking and implementation.
