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Vietnam work permit for foreigners 2026: cost, documents, process

By Nguyễn Quốc Trung — Deputy General Director · Updated

A foreign national working in Vietnam almost always needs a work permit, and in 2026 the rules changed: Decree 219/2025/NĐ-CP replaced the older decrees and merged the paperwork into a single application. This guide covers who needs a work permit, the current process and documents, how long it takes, how long it lasts, and what it costs — with the Nhân Kiệt service fee shown as a single all-in price.

Key facts (2026):
- Governed by Decree 219/2025/NĐ-CP (replaced Decree 152/2020 and 70/2023 from 7 August 2025).
- Issued within 10 working days of a complete file; valid up to 2 years, renewable once.
- Nhân Kiệt service USD 650 per employee, all-in (incl. government fees), plus 8% VAT.

Who needs a work permit in Vietnam?

A foreign national working in Vietnam must hold a work permit unless they fall into an exemption. Under the 2019 Labour Code (Articles 151 and 152), enterprises may only recruit foreign workers into managerial, executive, expert and technical positions that Vietnamese workers cannot yet fill, and the worker must be at least 18, in good health, suitably qualified and not serving a sentence. Some people are exempt — for example capital contributors of VND 3 billion or more, and intra-corporate transferees — but exemption still requires a written confirmation, covered in our guide to work permit exemption and intra-company transfer.

Which decree governs work permits in 2026?

The governing document is Decree 219/2025/NĐ-CP, in force from 7 August 2025 and still current in 2026, which fully replaced Decree 152/2020/NĐ-CP and Decree 70/2023/NĐ-CP. Any checklist still citing the old decrees is out of date. The main changes are a merged file (the foreign-labour needs report now sits inside the permit application), licensing authority moved to the provincial People's Committee where the person will work, and issuance within 10 working days of a complete, valid file.

How do I get a work permit in Vietnam?

You get a Vietnam work permit through a sponsoring employer: the employer — not the worker — files one merged application with the People's Committee of the province where you will work, and the permit is issued within 10 working days once the file is complete and valid. There is no self-sponsored route; without an entity or a sponsoring employer in Vietnam, there is nothing to file under.

In practice the sequence has six steps:

What documents does a Vietnam work permit need?

The application must prove the worker meets the Labour Code conditions and identify the sponsoring employer. Typical documents are a valid passport, a university degree matching the position, a work-experience certificate, a judicial/criminal record, a health certificate from an eligible Vietnamese hospital, passport photos, and the employer's file (business registration, foreign-labour demand approval and the labour contract). Documents issued abroad need consular legalisation — or, from 11 September 2026, only an apostille if the issuing country applies the Apostille Convention with Vietnam — and notarised translation into Vietnamese; this is the most time-consuming step, so plan for it; see consular legalisation and notarised translation.

How much does a Vietnam work permit cost?

The Nhân Kiệt work-permit advisory and application service is USD 650 per employee, inclusive of government fees and exclusive only of 8% VAT. You pay one all-in service fee rather than tracking separate line items. Notarised translation of overseas documents is priced separately (from USD 260) because volume varies by case, and for an intra-corporate transfer consular legalisation is quoted after reviewing the dossier. The full service menu is in PEO cost in Vietnam 2026.

How long does a work permit take?

The permit is issued within 10 working days of a complete and valid file, but that clock only starts once the dossier is valid. Before it, you need time to gather qualifications and records, legalise foreign documents at a consulate or obtain an apostille, and have them translated and notarised — often the longest part. A realistic plan counts backwards from the intended start date and allows several weeks for the full sequence, especially if documents come from abroad.

How long is a work permit valid, and can it be renewed?

A Vietnam work permit is valid for up to 2 years, and it may be renewed only once for up to a further 2 years (Article 155 of the 2019 Labour Code). The specific term follows the intended labour contract or secondment period, capped at 2 years. Set a reminder well before expiry: if the permit lapses while the person keeps working, it is treated as working without a permit, which carries fines by headcount and, for the worker, expulsion.

Can a US citizen work in Vietnam?

Yes — a US citizen can work in Vietnam, under exactly the same rules as other foreign nationals: Vietnamese law grants no nationality-based shortcut, so an American needs a sponsoring employer and a work permit, or a written exemption confirmation, before starting work. The same applies to UK, EU, Australian and other passport holders.

Two points catch people out. A tourist entry or a business (DN) visa does not authorise employment — working on one is treated as working without a permit, which carries fines for the employer by headcount and, for the worker, expulsion. And the sponsor must be an entity in Vietnam: a US company with no Vietnamese entity hires lawfully by using a Vietnamese sponsoring employer, or by establishing its own presence first.

What is the longest visa you can get in Vietnam?

For a working foreign national, the longest stay is granted through a temporary residence card (TRC) rather than a visa: an employee's LĐ1 or LĐ2 card runs up to 2 years, tracking the work permit's 2-year cap, and is renewed together with it, while the LĐ visa is likewise tied to the permit. The longest card of all sits outside employment: an investor holding an ĐT1 card can receive up to 10 years.

Family members of a foreign worker can hold a TT card of up to 3 years. For an employed foreign national, though, the practical ceiling stays at 2 years per cycle — the permit, the visa or TRC, and the registrations all renew on that rhythm, so plan renewals together.

Only an entity with a presence in Vietnam can sponsor a work permit, so a foreign company with no Vietnamese entity cannot apply directly. The lawful routes are to establish a presence, or to use a Vietnamese entity as the sponsoring employer — the labour formalisation model — while for foreign staff under your own entity, PEO keeps you as the employer and runs the permit for you. The full legal background is in our guide to foreigners working in Vietnam.

Why Nhân Kiệt

Nhân Kiệt Supplying Manpower Co., Ltd (tax code 0308022768, established 2009) holds a labour sub-leasing licence (No. 15/2019/SHCM) and an employment-services licence (No. 22139/2023/45/SLĐTBXH-VLATLĐ) issued in Ho Chi Minh City, and is certified to ISO 9001:2015, ISO 45001, ISO 14001 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022. We prepare and file the work permit under your entity's sponsorship and handle the visa, TRC, insurance and PIT alongside it. 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 · Temporary Residence Card (TRC) in Vietnam 2026: cost and process · Consular legalisation & notarised translation in Vietnam 2026

Update 12/10/2026: added a step-by-step guide to getting the permit, the rules for US and other foreign citizens, and the longest visa and TRC terms.

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

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