Immigration
Work permits tied to a sponsoring employer and justified local-hire shortage
Foreign nationals working over three months need a work permit issued to a specific employer, supported by evidence that the role could not be filled locally, plus degree and experience documents that must be legalised.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — Provincial Departments of Labour issue work permits; immigration authorities issue visas and temporary residence cards. Intra-corporate transferees and certain experts use adjusted routes.
Governing law
- Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners2014, amended 2019 and 2023
- Labour Code No. 45/2019/QH14, Chapter XI
- Decree 152/2020/ND-CP on foreign workers
In practice
Permits run up to two years and are renewable once, after which a fresh application is required. Exemption certificates cover investors above a capital threshold, intra-group transferees in licensed commercial-presence sectors, and short assignments. A temporary residence card follows the permit and can reach two years, removing the need for repeated visa runs. The 2023 amendments extended e-visas to ninety days with multiple entries and lengthened visa-exempt stays to forty-five days, which materially eased short business travel. Employers face fines and workers face deportation for working without a permit, and the paperwork burden falls on the employer.