On 16 May 2025, EuroCham joined forces with the Korean Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (KoCham) to host a special conference titled “Policy Recommendations on Work Permit Regulations and the Amendment of Decree No. 152/2020/NĐ-CP on Work Permits” in Ho Chi Minh City.
Opening the conference, Ms. Delphine Rousselet, EuroCham’s Executive Director shared that this dialogue is more than just a meeting. She highlighted that “today’s dialogue fosters a constructive exchange, one that leads to clearer, more efficient policies that help qualified international experts contribute their skills here in Vietnam – all while fully respecting local laws and priorities”
EuroCham is honoured to welcome Mrs. Nguyen Thi Quyen – Deputy Director General of the Department of Employment – Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA), who shared the proposed amendments to Decree 152 on work permit.
Also from the Vietnamese government, Mr. Pham Anh Thang – Deputy Chief of Office of the Ministry of Home Affairs – Head of the Representative Office in the South, and Mrs. Nguyen Nu Thanh Nhan – Senior Official – Department of Civil & Economic Law – Ministry of Justice (MOJ), joined the conference to observe this special consultation dialogue.
Significant Improvements to Decree 152 on Work Permit
In her speech, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Quyen from MOHA shared that the proposed amendments have been developed in alignment with the Prime Minister’s directive to reduce administrative procedure for businesses by at least 30%. Indeed, she highlighted that the latest amendments could reduce administrative procedures by a significant 40%.
The proposed amendments featured regulatory changes to streamline education and work experience requirements for foreign experts, particularly in key industries (Finance, Science & Technology, Innovation, etc.) and key positions (high-level management positions, experts, and technical worker).
Mrs. Quyen also shared that the draft Decree 152 will be proposed to the Government by 31 May and will be effective right after approval. Additionally, within 2025, MOHA is planning to digitalise all work permit related processes, centralising to an e-platform to optimise issuance procedures.
Inputs from EuroCham and KoCham
Representing EuroCham Vietnam, Mrs. Truong Ngoc Diep – Advocacy Manager highlighted key inputs regarding amendments to decree 152 on work permit:
- Regulations on the application for confirmation of not being subject to work permit issuance – cases of internal transfer, and
- Waiving work permit for experts doing short-term work.
Building on Mrs. Truong Ngoc Diep’s speech, Mrs. Nguyen Thuy Duong – Representative of EuroCham’s Human Resources & Training Sector Commitee (HR&T SC) drew attention to 2 key issues:
- Submission location for work permit issuance application, and
- Clarifying and simplifying requirement for job posting for Vietnamese labours.
Representing the Korean Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Ji Hoon Jeong – Vice Chairman also shared suggestions and concerns from the Korean business community in Vietnam.
Constructive Feedback from the Business Community
In the Q&A session moderated by Mr. Nguyen Hai Minh – EuroCham’s Vice-Chairman, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Quyen – Deputy Director General of the Department of Employment (MOHA) and Mr. Jean-Jacques Bouflet – EuroCham’s Vice-Chairman received constructive feedback from the business community. Representatives from Vietnam Business Forum, Addidas, Bosch, Deloitte, and Vietnam-German University, among others, shared real life stories that help government officials understand the perspectives of both employers and employees. Furthermore, they suggested regulation updates to enhance business efficiency and drive more quality investments and knowledge transfer into Vietnam.
Mr. Pham Anh Thang, Deputy Chief of Office of the Ministry of Home Affairs – Head of the Representative Office in the South, echoed many comments from businesses in the room. He emphasised that the ministries and provincial officials are working together to best support employers and employees. While recognising the need to fast-track the work permit issuance processes and reduce burden for businesses, Mr. Thang also pointed out that the varying length of processing time are in correlation with those of the respective partner countries.
After the panel, Mrs. Nguyen Nu Thanh Nhan, Senior Official – Department of Civil & Economic Law (MOJ), acknowledged the tremendous work that the business community, EuroCham and KoCham have put in to organise this constructive consultation dialogue. The inputs shared are valuable to the Ministry of Justice, which acts as the checkpoint before submitting the draft decree to the government.
Driving Business Inputs Forward
Closing the conference, Mr. Jean-Jacques Bouflet – EuroCham’s Vice-Chairman expressed EuroCham’s gratitude to Mrs. Nguyen Thi Quyen, Mr. Pham Anh Thang, and Mrs. Nguyen Nu Thanh Nhan for sharing the latest proposed amendments to Decree 152 and addressing suggestions and questions from the business community. He also thanked the Korean Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam for co-organising the special conference and all valued participants for sharing practical suggestions.
He also stated that after this session, EuroCham will consolidate all business inputs into an official document to be shared with MOHA to assist in the review process for Decree 152. Mr. Bouflet reaffirmed EuroCham’s committment to partner with MOHA and related government agencies to streamline work permit issuance procedures.
EuroCham is honoured to strengthen our role as the bridge between the Vietnamese government and the European business community in Vietnam. Today’s dialogue acts as a crucial step in streamlining work permit issuance – one of EuroCham’s top 5 Must-Win Battles for 2025. We are committed to support Vietnam in developing a transparent and friendly business environment to attract high-quality investments and knowledge transfers that enhance the country’s sustainable growth.
