On 28 May 2025, the Ministry of Finance (MOF), Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA), and the Vietnam Business Forum co-organised a Seminar on Work Permits in Hanoi. At the session, representatives from MOHA and MOF presented updates to the draft decree aimed at replacing the current decree 152 on work permit regulations and gathered feedback from the business community. The seminar was highly productive, recording 38 contributions from various stakeholders.
The session welcomed distinguished guests, including:
- Mr. Vu Van Chung – Deputy Director of the Foreign Investment Agency (MOF)
- Ms. Nguyen Thi Quyen – Deputy Director of the Employment Agency (MOHA)
- Mr. Michael Vu Nguyen, Co-Chair, Vietnam Business Forum (VBF)
- Ms. Huyen Nguyen, representative of VBF Human Resources WG
- Ms. Virginia Foote, representative of AMCHAM
- Mr. WonSik Son, representative of KOCHAM
Representing EuroCham at the seminar were Vice Chairman Minh Nguyen; Chairman of Human Resources and Training Sector Committee William Badger; and Head of Hanoi Office and External Relations Van Nguyen.
Key changes in Work Permit Regulations
At the seminar, Ms. Nguyen Thi Quyen from MOHA shared that the draft decree replacing decree 152/2020/NĐ-CP had been sent to the Ministry of Justice for assessment. Based on MOJ’s reviews, MOHA will complete the draft decree to present to the Government by 6 Jun. The new decree will take effect starting mid-June 2025.
The new draft decree replacing decree 152 on Work Permit includes key improvements:
- Streamlined Procedures,
- More Flexible Recruitment Posting,
- Work Permit Exemptions for Strategic Sector,
- Digitalisation and Streamlined Documentation,
- Decentralised Licensing Authority, and
- Employment Contracts on Request.
Overall, the new draft decree is expected to significantly reduce administrative burden by at least 30%.
EuroCham’s contribution
Building on recommendations shared at EuroCham’s dialogue with MOHA on 16 May and our official letter sent to MOHA shortly after, EuroCham reinstated our suggestions for making work permit regulations more streamlined and business friendly:
- For emerging sectors, relevant experience should be prioritised over academic qualifications, and degrees should not be required to be in the exact field of work.
- For senior experts, the recruitment process should be simplified to the maximum extent possible.
As improving work permit regulations is one of EuroCham’s top 5 Must-win Battles for 2025, we appreciate the government’s efforts in actively incorporating recommendations from the business community. EuroCham commits to accompanying the Vietnamese government in improving the regulatory environment for sustainable economic growth in Vietnam.
