Foreign organizations and individuals hiring Vietnamese workers will soon face updated compliance rules, including mandatory job postings on the National Employment Exchange portal or other legally approved platforms.
These measures are defined under Decree No. 371/2026/ND-CP, recently issued by the Government to regulate the recruitment and management of local staff working for foreign entities in Vietnam.
The regulations will officially take effect on November 15, 2026.
Under the new decree, foreign employers seeking local staff must submit written hiring requests specifying job positions and headcounts directly, by post, or electronically to competent management authorities.
Simultaneously, employers must publicly advertise these vacancies on the National Employment Exchange (www.vieclam.gov.vn), authorized employment portals, or their official websites. Foreign entities may recruit candidates directly or request recruitment assistance from designated management agencies.
To ensure regulatory oversight, strict notification timelines apply throughout the employment cycle. Within ten working days of signing an employment contract, foreign employers must notify the management authority of the candidate’s full name, personal identification number, position, and start date. Within the same ten-day window, recruited Vietnamese workers must submit their personnel management dossiers to the authority. Upon receiving complete documentation from both parties, the management agency has ten working days to confirm the registration of the employee’s records.
Similar notification protocols govern contract terminations. Foreign employers must notify the authority within ten working days of contract termination, citing the specific reasons for departure. Within three working days of receiving this notice, the management agency will confirm the end of oversight and return the worker’s personnel management file.
The employee file includes a standardized personal information form, a copy of the executed labor contract, and a certificate confirming completion of a legal orientation program on state policies for citizens working for foreign entities.
Launched in April 2026, the National Employment Exchange serves as a centralized platform connecting job seekers, enterprises, service providers, and regulators nationwide.
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nguyen Manh Khuong noted that the platform standardizes labor market data, helps local authorities track workforce shifts, enables businesses to source suitable talent, and provides citizens with transparent access to employment opportunities.
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