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How to choose a PEO provider in Vietnam 2026: a checklist

Nguyen Quoc Trung, Deputy General Director of Nhan KietLinkedIn ↗

By Nguyen Quoc Trung — Deputy General Director · Updated

Choosing a PEO provider in Vietnam is really about one question: can they keep your foreign staff compliant end to end, or only run payroll? Many providers advertise PEO and EOR but cannot handle the work permit and immigration side that foreign nationals actually need. This checklist covers what to verify before you sign, so you can compare providers on the points that matter.

Key facts (2026):

What should you check when choosing a PEO in Vietnam?

Check licences, immigration capability, pricing transparency and whether they recommend the right model for your case. A provider that only does payroll will leave you to solve the hardest part — the work permit, visa and residence card for a foreign national — on your own. The strongest providers own the full compliance chain, publish their prices, and tell you plainly whether you need PEO or EOR rather than selling one model to everyone.

Does the provider hold the right licences?

Ask to see the provider's licences, because employing people in Vietnam is regulated. A credible provider can show a labour sub-leasing licence and an employment-services licence issued by the labour authority. Nhan Kiet holds a labour sub-leasing licence (No. 15/2019/SHCM) and an employment-services licence (No. 22139/2023/45/SLDTBXH-VLATLD) issued in Ho Chi Minh City, and is certified to ISO 9001:2015, ISO 45001, ISO 14001 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022. If a provider cannot show licences, treat that as a stop sign.

Can they handle foreign work permits, not just payroll?

This is the question that separates real PEO providers for foreign staff from payroll-only vendors. Bringing a foreign national on board needs the work permit, entry visa, Temporary Residence Card and document legalisation sequenced correctly, then payroll, insurance and PIT. A provider that only runs payroll leaves the immigration file to you — which is exactly where compliance goes wrong.

Is the pricing transparent and published?

Prefer a provider that publishes prices per service so you can see what you pay and compare. Many providers quote only "contact us" or a single bundled figure, which hides what is included and makes comparison impossible. Nhan Kiet publishes each service separately — work permit, TRC, visa, translation and a flat monthly fee — so you pay only for what you need; see the PEO cost guide.

PEO or EOR: are they offering the right model?

A good provider matches the model to your situation instead of selling one to everyone. PEO suits a company that already has a Vietnam entity and is bringing in foreign staff, while EOR suits a company with no entity hiring Vietnamese staff. If a provider pushes a single model without asking whether you have an entity or whom you are hiring, that is a warning sign — see the difference in PEO in Vietnam.

What are the red flags to avoid?

Watch for the business-visa shortcut, hidden fees and missing licences. A provider suggesting your foreign hire "just work on a business visa" is steering you into unlicensed labour, which carries fines by headcount and expulsion for the worker. Other red flags are quotes that will not itemise what is included, no verifiable licence, and no clarity on who is the legal employer. The safe provider is licensed, transparent, and explicit about the compliance chain.

Why Nhan Kiet

Nhan Kiet Supplying Manpower Co., Ltd (tax code 0308022768, established 2009) is a licensed Vietnamese provider that handles the full chain for foreign staff — work permit, visa, TRC, legalisation, payroll, insurance and PIT — under a PEO model where your entity stays the employer. Prices are published per service, so you can compare us line by line. For a quotation, call +84 908 636 108 (Mr Trung) or +84 28 3505 4224. This is general information, not legal advice.

See also: EOR services in Vietnam · PEO in Vietnam 2026: how the model works and when to use it · What is an EOR? Employer of Record in Vietnam explained

Official texts (in Vietnamese) on the Vietnamese Government's legal portals:

Need advice for your own headcount?
Call +84 908 636 108 or see labour compliance, payroll outsourcing, EOR Vietnam.

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