To apply for a Vietnam work permit in Dong Nai, employers must first post the recruitment notice, obtain approval to employ foreign workers, then submit a complete work permit dossier to the competent authority. The required documents include Form 11/PLI, a valid health certificate, criminal record, passport copy, photos, and proof of qualifications. The total processing time is usually around 25 working days if the dossier is correct. Using a professional service can help avoid delays and rejections.
Foreign employees who need a work permit in Dong Nai (Vietnam) should prepare a complete set of documents as below. Most delays happen because one paper is missing, expired, or not legalized/translated properly.
Employer’s application for a work permit (Form No. 11/PLI)
This is the employer’s official request for a work permit, made according to Form No. 11/PLI (Appendix I) under Decree 152/2020/ND-CP.
Health certificate (valid within 12 months)
A health certificate must be issued by a competent medical authority (Vietnamese or overseas) and is typically accepted if issued within 12 months before the submission date (follow the latest local acceptance practice for the hospital/format).
Criminal record check (judicial background check)
You will need either:
A criminal record certificate; or
A written confirmation that the foreign worker is not currently serving a sentence, has no unspent convictions, and is not under criminal prosecution (depending on the case and issuing country).
Many authorities require the criminal record to be issued within a limited recent period (commonly treated as “fresh”), so prepare it early but not too early.
02 color photos (4cm x 6cm)
White background
Front-facing, no hat, no sunglasses
Taken within the recent months (local practice commonly asks within 6 months).
Passport copy
A clear passport copy (and other lawful substitute documents, if any) is required.
Approval to employ foreign workers (acceptance of demand)
This is the written approval/acceptance issued by the competent authority confirming the company’s need to use foreign labor for each job position. Decree 152 requires this acceptance as part of the work permit pathway.
Documents proving qualifications and work experience
Depending on the job position (expert/technical worker/manager/executive director, etc.), you will need documents that prove:
Work permit procedure in Dong Nai after July 1, 2025
From July 1, 2025, the process is commonly described as including a mandatory job posting step before seeking approval to employ foreign workers. Practical implementation can vary by the receiving authority, so doing the steps in the right order matters.
Step 1: Post the recruitment announcement for Vietnamese candidates
Before hiring a foreign worker, the employer typically needs to publish the vacancy for Vietnamese candidates for a required period (commonly stated as at least 15 days) on the appropriate official portal (depending on the competent authority handling the case).
In practice:
If submitting under a central employment authority, follow the portal/channel required by that authority.
If submitting locally, follow the province-level portal/channel required for that procedure.
Step 2: Apply for approval to employ foreign workers
The sponsoring company in Dong Nai submits the explanation/report and related documents to obtain the written approval/acceptance of demand for foreign workers for each job position.
Many dossiers are now handled via online public service systems first, then paper submission may still be required depending on the workflow of the receiving agency.
Step 3: Submit the work permit application dossier
After receiving the approval, the company prepares and submits the full work permit dossier (the documents listed in the dossier section). Decree 152 sets the core dossier framework, including Form 11/PLI, health certificate, photos, and other supporting documents.
Timing tip: Companies typically submit the work permit application at least 15 days before the foreign employee’s intended start date to avoid last-minute compliance risks.
Step 4: Processing and result
Under Decree 152, the processing timeline for issuing a work permit is commonly handled within a defined number of working days once a valid dossier is received (the standard reference is 10 working days for work permit issuance in many implementations).
If approved:
The work permit is issued.
If refused:
The authority provides a written explanation of the reason for refusal.
Step 5: Sign the labor contract
Once the work permit is issued, the employer and foreign employee sign the labor contract in line with Vietnam’s labor regulations, and proceed with the post-issuance compliance steps required for employment management.
Tan Van Lang provides reliable work permit consultation services for foreigners in Vietnam.
Dong Nai’s official fee schedule has been updated. According to Resolution 43/2025/NQ-HĐND [1] , effective January 1, 2026, the fees are typically applied as follows:
New work permit issuance (in-person procedure):600,000 VND / permit
Re-issuance or extension (in-person procedure):450,000 VND / permit
Online public service procedure:0 VND (fee waived when the administrative procedure is completed via the online public service channel, as stated in the resolution).
The employer is the party that pays these state fees.
Can you apply by yourself, or should you use a service?
You can self-apply. The trade-off is time and risk:
If your documents are already prepared correctly (legalization, translation, validity dates, job title consistency), self-filing can work.
If your case involves tight timelines, multiple jurisdictions (overseas criminal record/health check), or a role classification that needs careful justification, using a professional team reduces rework and avoids avoidable refusals.
Tan Van Lang focuses on checking dossier logic end-to-end (job title – position category – supporting evidence – approval step – work permit submission), so your case moves forward with fewer corrections.
Under Decree 152, a work permit can typically be extended once, up to a maximum extension term allowed by law (commonly referenced as up to 2 years, depending on the permit validity and case structure). You must also meet the extension conditions, including having valid approval for continued foreign labor demand and confirming the worker will continue working under the permit contents.
Criminal record issued too early (or not legalized correctly)
Health certificate format not accepted by the receiving authority
Experience letters that don’t match the job position or lack required details (role, duration, company letterhead, signature)
Where do companies in Dong Nai usually handle work permit procedures?
Depending on where the employee will work (industrial zones vs. non-zone workplaces) and how the province delegates authority, your receiving agency may differ. Your case should be routed correctly from the beginning to avoid re-submission.
If you want Tan Van Lang to review your case (job position, documents you already have, and the fastest compliant pathway for Dong Nai), contact us via hotline 08.666.000.63 (WhatsApp) . Respectfully.
Tốt nghiệp chuyên ngành Hệ quản trị cơ sở dữ liệu năm 2016, cùng chứng chỉ Content Marketing. Đã có 5 năm kinh nghiệm Content trong lĩnh vực du lịch như Xuất cảnh - Nhập cảnh - Vé máy bay và các dịch vụ liên quan khác.
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