Work Permit Services

Vista provides Work Permit services in Vietnam with over 15 years of professional experience.

A Work Permit is an official document certifying that a foreign employee is legally permitted to work for a Vietnamese company. It is issued by the Department of Home Affairs or the Department of Employment under the Ministry of Home Affairs of Vietnam.

Under current regulations, a Work Permit is valid for a maximum period of two (02) years and may be extended in accordance with applicable laws.

To apply for a Work Permit for a foreign employee in Vietnam, the following matters should be carefully noted:

WORK PERMIT APPLICATION DOSSIER

• Written request for issuance of a Work Permit submitted by the employer;

• Medical examination certificate meeting statutory requirements (valid for 12 months from the date of medical conclusion to the date of dossier submission);

• Criminal record certificate confirming that the employee has not violated the law (issued within no more than six (06) months prior to the date of dossier submission);

• Documents evidencing the employee’s status as a manager, executive director, expert, or technical worker;

• Documents evidencing the recruitment of Vietnamese employees for the position intended for the foreign employee;

• Two (02) color photographs (size 4cm x 6cm), white background, no glasses, front-facing, uncovered head, taken within six (06) months prior to submission;

• Written approval of the demand for employment of foreign workers;

• Notarized copy of the passport;

• Other documents relating to the foreign employee’s employment in Vietnam, depending on the specific employment form, such as internal corporate transfer, labor contract execution, or contractual service provision.

Note: Documents issued overseas must be consularly legalized by the Vietnamese authorities and translated into Vietnamese with notarized true copies.

IMPORTANT NOTES

• In practice, the actual processing time for a Work Permit application is often longer than the timeframe announced by the receiving authority.

• Foreign employees are advised to request that the Vietnamese employer commence dossier preparation in parallel with the employee’s preparation of overseas documents. These two stages are typically the most time-consuming. For example, obtaining a criminal record certificate may take approximately 25–30 days.

• Documents that can be prepared in Vietnam should be completed in Vietnam, as this is generally more time- and cost-efficient than preparing them abroad.

• Depending on each specific case, the required Work Permit dossier may vary. The content of overseas documents, such as educational qualifications and work experience confirmations, is particularly critical in determining whether the application will be approved by Vietnamese authorities. Therefore, foreign employees are strongly advised to consult a professional service provider to ensure accuracy. This helps avoid situations where documents prepared abroad cannot be used in Vietnam due to non-compliance, resulting in unnecessary time loss and additional costs for re-preparation.

With more than 15 years of experience in Work Permit services, Vista is committed to providing the highest level of support to our clients. We help clients clearly understand their eligibility, proactively manage timelines, and optimize costs. Our Work Permit services are available across multiple provinces and cities throughout Vietnam.

Please contact Vista via email: info@vistaconsulting.vn. or phone number 0902943889.