Starting January 1, 2026, when the 2025 Employment Law officially comes into effect, Vietnam's unemployment insurance policy will undergo significant changes in favor of employers and employees

Under the new law, companies and enterprises will receive substantial support from the Unemployment Insurance Fund to train, retrain, and enhance the vocational skills of their employees in order to maintain employment. This support is particularly aimed at businesses impacted by or facing the risk of job losses in case of crises.

According to Article 42 of the 2025 Employment Law, employers will be eligible for this assistance when facing situations that affect, or threaten to affect,  jobs of a large number of employees participating in the unemployment insurance program. These circumstances include structural or technological changes, or economic difficulties as defined by the Labor Code.

The policy also covers emergencies such as natural disasters, fires, acts of hostility, or severe epidemics. Furthermore, support will be available to businesses complying with a decision from a competent Sate authority to relocate or downsize their production and business operations, as well as in other specific cases regulated by the Government.

To qualify for this financial support, businesses must meet several conditions. They must have paid their full unemployment insurance premiums for at least 12 months within the 24-month period leading up to their request for assistance. Additionally, companies are required to develop and submit a feasible training and upskilling plan that clearly demonstrates how the support will be used to maintain jobs for their workforce.