Beginning July 1, 2025, the authority to issue work permits to foreign workers in Vietnam will shift from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (now the Ministry of Home Affairs) to Chairpersons of Provincial People’s Committees.

This significant administrative change is outlined in Decree No. 128/2025/ND-CP, which governs the decentralization and delegation of powers in the State management of home affairs.

As detailed in Clause 2, Article 8 of the Decree, the procedure for applying for a work permit includes the following components:

A written request from the employer: if the employee works at multiple sites, all locations must be listed;

A health certificate or medical report issued within the past 12 months by a recognized foreign or Vietnamese authority, or certification of good health per Ministry of Health guidelines;

A criminal background check issued within six months, confirming the worker has no pending prosecutions or unexpunged convictions;

Documents proving professional qualifications (e.g., as a manager, expert, or technical worker);

Two recent color photos (4x6 cm, white background, front-facing, no headwear or tinted glasses);

Written approval for the recruitment of foreign labor (except in exempted cases);

A certified or employer-authenticated copy of a valid passport;

Other supporting documents, where applicable;

Additional documents for special-case work permit applications; and

Documents requiring consular legalization and notarization.

As of the end of 2024, Vietnam was home to 161,992 foreign workers, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs. Among them, 149,195 were required to obtain work permits, while 12,797 were exempt.

Workers hail from approximately 110 countries, with the majority coming from mainland China, South Korea, Taiwan (China), and Japan.

Individuals from other nations constitute 28.4% of the total.