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Obtaining a work permit is a procedure that businesses must follow when employing foreign workers who are required to obtain a permit in Vietnam. According to Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, permit applications are processed within 10 working days from the date the competent authority receives a complete application; if the application is not approved or the permit is not granted, the competent authority must provide a written response stating the reasons within 3 working days.
Decree 219/2025/ND-CP was issued by the Government on August 7, 2025 and came into effect on the same day. View Decree 219/2025/ND-CP on the Government's Electronic Information Portal.
The administrative procedure for issuing work permits is published on the National Public Service Portal with procedure code 1.014199. Look up the procedures for obtaining a work permit on the National Public Service Portal.
Individuals requiring a work permit
Foreign workers in Vietnam need to determine beforehand whether they are eligible for a work permit or not. Decree 219/2025/ND-CP specifies many categories of cases where a work permit is not required, so businesses should correctly determine their legal status before preparing the necessary documents.
Businesses can further compare this summary with other relevant information. Regulations on work permits according to Decree 219/2025/ND-CP Check the MAN website to review the scope of application.
Job categories subject to licensing
The work permit application file must include documents proving that the foreign worker belongs to the category of managers, executives, experts, or skilled workers, depending on the applicable case. This is an important basis for the competent authority to consider the conditions for granting the permit.
Businesses should not rely solely on the job title stated in the contract or appointment letter. They need to compare the job position, field of work, and corresponding supporting documents. MAN also has in-depth content on this topic. Work Permit and the procedure for applying for a work permit. For reference, here's how to differentiate between related concepts.
Cases not subject to work permit requirements
Decree 219/2025/ND-CP stipulates several cases where foreign workers are not required to obtain a work permit. Some notable groups include owners or contributing members with capital contributions of VND 3 billion or more in limited liability companies, certain cases exempted under the Labor Code, and other specific circumstances.
Businesses need to distinguish between not being required to obtain a work permit and not having to go through any procedures at all. Depending on the case, businesses may still be required to go through the procedure of confirming they are not required to obtain a work permit or to fulfill notification obligations as stipulated by regulations.
Work permit application file
The application for a work permit under Decree 219/2025/ND-CP includes a document from the employer explaining the need to employ foreign workers and requesting a work permit (Form No. 03), a health certificate, a valid passport, a criminal record certificate or equivalent confirmation document, two color photos, and documents proving the type of work and job position of the employee.
Businesses can conduct further verification. Application for a work permit for a foreigner Check the MAN website to find the required documents for each case.
Application for a work permit
Employers must prepare a written report explaining the need to employ foreign workers and request a work permit using Form No. 03 in the Appendix issued with Decree 219/2025/ND-CP.
For FDI enterprises, information regarding the employer, the intended position, and the foreign worker needs to be consistently verified between the application document and the remaining documents in the file.
Medical certificate
Medical certificates must be issued by qualified medical facilities, except in cases where the results of the medical examination have been connected and shared on an information system or database as prescribed.
For health certificates issued by competent medical facilities in foreign countries, these certificates are valid only if Vietnam and the issuing country or territory have a treaty or agreement on mutual recognition, and the certificate is valid for no more than 12 months from the date of issuance.
This regulation was also addressed by the Government Electronic Newspaper in an article. Regulations regarding health certificates in work permit application files..
Passport and criminal record certificate
The application must include a valid passport. In addition, the application must include a criminal record certificate or a document confirming that the foreign worker is not subject to any of the specified legal statuses, issued no more than six months prior to the application date, except in cases where the administrative procedures for issuing both the criminal record certificate and the work permit have been streamlined as per regulations.
Businesses need to check the issuance date of these documents before submitting their applications. Preparing too early may result in the documents no longer meeting the validity requirements at the time of submission.
Photos of workers
The application includes two color photos measuring 4 cm x 6 cm, with a white background, showing the face looking straight ahead, head uncovered, and without glasses. This is a simple requirement, but technical errors can easily occur if the photos do not meet the size or format requirements.
Documents proving the type of employment
Documents proving the form of employment depend on the specific circumstances of the employee. Decree 219/2025/ND-CP stipulates the groups of documents corresponding to each form of employment, such as internal transfers within the enterprise, performance of contracts or agreements, provision of services under contract, offering services for sale, and other forms within the scope of regulation.
Businesses should not use a single type of employment verification document for all cases. The documentation needs to be compared with the actual employment of each employee.
Documents proving employment
The application must include documents proving that the foreign worker is a manager, executive director, expert, or skilled worker as stipulated by regulations.
One point to note is that internal job titles should not be used as the sole basis for determining job positions. The Ministry of Interior has explained that in work permits, information about job positions is specifically defined according to the field of work and the level 3 occupational code, not by job title. See the Government Electronic Newspaper's explanation regarding changes in job titles..
Work permit issuance process
The work permit issuance process focuses on correctly identifying the case, preparing complete documentation, submitting it at the right time, and allowing the competent authority to review and issue the permit. According to the published administrative procedures, the processing time for approving the need and issuing the permit is 10 working days from the date of receipt of complete and valid documents.
Application submission deadline
Businesses need to proactively prepare the necessary documents before the foreign worker is expected to start working. According to published regulations, employers must complete the paperwork between 60 days and no less than 10 days before the worker is expected to begin work.
It's not advisable to wait until the last minute before an employee starts work to complete their paperwork. Documents issued by foreign countries may require additional time for preparation, translation, authentication, or to meet requirements for use in Vietnam, depending on the specific case.
Prepare and submit the application.
Businesses prepare the necessary documents according to the employee's specific circumstances and submit them using the method published on the administrative procedures system. The National Public Service Portal identifies this procedure as code 1.014199 and the processing time as 10 working days for approval of the request and issuance of the license.
When implementing this, businesses should conduct direct inspections. Information on administrative procedures code 1.014199 on the National Public Service Portal To determine the method and receiving agency based on the updated status at the time of submission.
Assessment and licensing
Within 10 working days from the date of receiving a complete application for a work permit, the competent authority shall review and approve the request and issue the work permit. If the request for employment is not approved or the permit is not issued, the competent authority must provide a written response stating the reasons within 3 working days from the date of receiving the complete application.
Location and jurisdiction for resolution
According to Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, the People's Committee of the province has the authority to issue, reissue, extend, and revoke work permits for foreign workers employed by employers with headquarters, branches, representative offices, or business locations in the locality where the worker is expected to work. The People's Committee of the province may delegate this authority to competent agencies as prescribed.
In cases where foreign workers are employed by the same employer in multiple provinces or centrally-governed cities, the People's Committee of the province where the employer has its head office has the authority to issue, reissue, extend, and revoke work permits.
Points FDI businesses need to check before submitting applications.
A complete set of documents may not necessarily meet the requirements if the documents are inconsistent regarding the employee, position, or type of work. For FDI applications, checking the consistency between documents is often just as important as checking each document individually.
Businesses should review the following key areas:
- The information of the worker on their passport and related documents must be consistent.
- The criminal record certificate or confirmation document must meet the requirement regarding the date of issuance.
- The health certificate must meet the requirements regarding the issuing facility and its validity period.
- The type of work must match the supporting documents submitted.
- The job position must be suitable for a managerial, executive, specialist, or technical worker role as demonstrated in the application.
- The local authority receiving the application must be correctly identified according to its jurisdiction.
- The records of employees working in multiple provinces and cities need to be cross-referenced according to the regulations regarding the jurisdiction of the province or city where the employer's head office is located.
This review method helps businesses check records in a logical sequence rather than simply comparing a list of documents. In particular, documents proving employment type and job position need to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Some common business scenarios
Workers change job positions.
If a foreign worker holds a valid work permit but changes their job position or type of work as stated on the permit without changing their employer, Decree 219/2025/ND-CP stipulates that they must go through the procedure of obtaining a new work permit.
This regulation will be specifically addressed by the Ministry of Interior in the following cases. Change your type of employment while your work permit is still valid..
Meanwhile, businesses need to distinguish between substantive changes in position or work style and merely internal job title changes. Correctly identifying the case helps avoid unnecessary re-issuance procedures or overlooking obligations.
Workers are employed in many provinces and cities.
In cases where employees work for the same employer in multiple provinces or centrally-governed cities, there are separate regulations regarding jurisdiction. According to Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, the People's Committee of the province where the employer has its head office has the authority to issue, reissue, extend, and revoke work permits.
Businesses with multiple branches or business locations should identify this issue from the outset to avoid selecting the wrong agency to receive their applications.
Medical certificate issued abroad.
A health certificate for a foreign worker cannot always be used simply because it was issued abroad. According to Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, a health certificate issued by a foreign medical facility is only valid if Vietnam and the issuing country or territory have a treaty or agreement of mutual recognition, and the certificate is still valid for no more than 12 months from the date of issuance.
Experience in reviewing work permit applications
For FDI businesses, effective document preparation should not begin with gathering all the necessary paperwork, but rather with correctly identifying the legal status of the employee. From there, the appropriate form of employment, job position, and corresponding supporting documents can be determined.
One practical way to review a resume is to check it across three layers: personal information, job requirements, and proof of employment type. If any of these three pieces of information are inconsistent, the company should address the discrepancy before submitting it.
MAN – Master Accountant Network offers Work permit services for foreigners and support businesses in reviewing documents on a case-by-case basis. When using procedural support services, businesses should still request that the consulting firm clearly identify the legal basis and applicable conditions for each document.
Conclude
Granting work permits to foreigners requires careful preparation based on the specific employment circumstances, job position, and competent authority. According to Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, the application dossier must include information regarding the employer, health, passport, criminal record, type of employment, and job position; the processing time for the permit application is 10 working days from the date of receipt of a complete dossier.
For FDI businesses, three key areas to prioritize are correctly identifying the licensing category, selecting the appropriate documentation to prove the job type and position, and identifying the correct competent authority. Reviewing these factors before submitting the application helps minimize errors and avoid unnecessary processing time.
Legal reference information: Government Decree 219/2025/ND-CP dated August 7, 2025, on foreign workers working in Vietnam and administrative procedures code 1.014199 on the National Public Service Portal.
Frequently Asked Questions about Work Permits
How long does it take to get a work permit for a foreigner?
The processing time is 10 working days from the date the competent authority receives a complete application for a work permit. If the application is not approved or the permit is not granted, the competent authority must respond in writing and state the reasons within 3 working days.
What documents are required for a work permit application?
The application dossier includes a written report explaining the need to employ foreign workers and requesting a permit (Form No. 03), a health certificate, a valid passport, a criminal record certificate or equivalent confirmation document, two color photos, documents proving the type of work, and documents proving that the worker is a manager, executive director, expert, or technical worker, depending on the applicable case.
Is it possible to apply for a work permit online?
The procedure for granting work permits to foreign workers in Vietnam is published on the National Public Service Portal with procedure code 1.014199. Businesses should verify the method and receiving agency based on the published procedure information at the time of application submission.
