Vietnam work permits are generally classified into two main groups: permits based on the working arrangement (such as employment contracts, intra-company transfers, service contracts, and executive/managerial roles) and special cases (short-term work, volunteers, tender or project execution, and diplomatic dependents).
Each type comes with different eligibility conditions, document requirements, and validity periods—usually up to two years. In addition, Vietnam law recognizes multiple work permit exemption cases, where foreigners may work legally without a permit but still need formal confirmation.
Types of Vietnam work permits by working arrangement
Working under a Vietnamese employment contract
Who it fits: You sign a labor contract directly with a Vietnam-based employer.
Typical validity: Up to 2 years, renewable/extendable depending on the case. (The standard framework remains a maximum 2-year validity in practice.)
Intra-company transfer (internal corporate transfer)
Who it fits: You are employed by an overseas parent company and are assigned to Vietnam (often without signing a local labor contract in Vietnam).
Typical validity: Up to 2 years, renewable/extendable depending on the case.
Working under a service contract
Who it fits: You enter Vietnam to perform work under a service contract between a foreign company and a Vietnamese company (common for experts, engineers, consultants).
Typical validity: Up to 2 years (or aligned with the project/service scope).
Managers and executives (high-level positions)
Who it fits: You hold a senior managerial/executive role with authority to manage operations, approve policies, or make strategic decisions for the enterprise.
Typical validity: Up to 2 years, renewable/extendable depending on the case.
Tan Van Lang provides professional work permit consultation services for foreigners, helping clients navigate Vietnam’s legal requirements with ease.
Who it fits: Assignments such as workshops, training, short projects.
Typical stay/work period: Often treated as up to 90 days depending on the case and immigration plan.
Volunteers
Who it fits: Foreigners participating in volunteer activities/projects at NGOs, charities, or permitted organizations.
Service promotion / sales activities
Who it fits: Entering Vietnam to introduce products, pitch services, or conduct commercial discussions (note: many “service selling” trips may fall into exemption depending on duration—see below).
Tender/project execution
Who it fits: Foreign staff participating in approved tenders/projects, where the project documents support the legal basis of their assignment.
Dependents of foreign diplomatic/international organizations
Who it fits: Spouse/children of members of diplomatic missions or international organizations in Vietnam (embassies/consulates, certain international bodies), depending on applicable rules.
Long-term work (12 months+)
Who it fits: Standard long-term employment/assignment arrangements.
Typical validity: Up to 2 years per permit, then renewal/extension or re-issuance depending on eligibility.
Work permit exemptions in Vietnam (20 common cases)
Vietnam law provides multiple cases where a foreigner does not need a work permit, but may need a work permit exemption certificate depending on the scenario and local authority practice.
The core exemption rules are anchored in Labor Code 2019 (Article 154) and detailed in implementing regulations on foreign workers.
Below are the most commonly applied exemption scenarios (grouped for clarity):
Investment and corporate governance exemptions
Owner or capital contributor of a limited liability company with a qualifying capital contribution (commonly applied threshold in practice).
Chairperson/member of the Board of Directors of a joint-stock company with qualifying capital contribution.
Diplomatic / international organization-related roles
Head of a representative office, project manager, or person in charge of operations of an international organization/foreign NGO in Vietnam (subject to the organization’s legal status and approvals).
Short-term and urgent technical cases
Working in Vietnam under 3 months for service selling activities (case-dependent; documentation must show the nature and duration).
Working under 3 months to handle urgent/complex technical or technological incidents that Vietnamese experts cannot resolve in time.
Licensed professions and treaty-based exemptions
Foreign lawyer licensed to practice in Vietnam.
Exemptions under an international treaty to which Vietnam is a member.
Family-based exemption
Foreigner married to a Vietnamese citizen and living in Vietnam (still case-specific for immigration/work arrangements).
WTO service sectors intra-company transfer (11 sectors)
Applied to intra-company transferees in the following service sectors (commonly cited in practice):
Business; Information technology; Construction; Distribution; Education; Environment; Finance; Health; Tourism; Cultural & entertainment; Transport.
ODA / official programs
Experts/technicians participating in ODA programs/projects under agreements.
Media and education assignments
Foreign journalists/press with permission from Vietnam’s competent authority.
Lecturers/researchers assigned to international schools or institutions under diplomatic/UN arrangements (depending on the underlying agreement).
International volunteers (as recognized under the implementing regulations).
Short-duration multiple entries rule
Managers/executives/experts/technical workers working under 30 days per entry and no more than 3 entries per year.
Other recognized cases
Implementation of international agreements signed by central/provincial authorities.
Foreign students/interns in recognized internship programs or trainees on Vietnamese vessels.
Diplomatic mission dependents (as recognized by regulations).
Holders of official passports working for Vietnamese state bodies/political organizations (case-dependent).
Person responsible for establishing the commercial presence of a foreign enterprise in Vietnam.
Teachers/lecturers/researchers confirmed by the Ministry of Education and Training as eligible for teaching/research in Vietnam (case-dependent).
Choosing Tan Van Lang means minimizing risks, saving time, and securing your legal right to work in Vietnam.
State fees are usually set by provincial People’s Councils, so they can differ by location. One published example is Resolution 06/2021/NQ-HĐND (Khánh Hòa), which states:
New work permit issuance: 600,000 VND/permit
Re-issuance/extension: 450,000 VND/permit
Online public service transactions may be charged at 50% of the direct-transaction fee (where applied)
You should start the extension/renewal or re-issuance plan early. In practice, many employers prepare 30–45 days in advance to avoid disruptions.
Can a lost work permit be re-issued?
Yes. Re-issuance is typically possible if the permit is lost, damaged, or personal information changes (processing time depends on the authority and dossier quality).
When can a Vietnam work permit be revoked?
Revocation is handled under the Government’s regulations on foreign workers. Common triggers include: expired permits, mismatch between the labor contract and permit details, working in a role/job scope not matching the permit, or employer/assignment termination; and other compliance violations.
Need help choosing the right work permit type?
“Wrong type” is one of the most common reasons a dossier gets delayed—especially between employment contract vs. intra-company transfer vs. service contract, or when a case should be handled as exemption instead of a full work permit.
If you want us to review your case and checklist documents, leave your details here and a Tan Van Lang specialist will contact you quickly: 08.666.000.63 (WhatsApp) .
Tôi là Khang Hy – chuyên viên tư vấn với hơn 3 năm kinh nghiệm hỗ trợ người nước ngoài tại Việt Nam trong các thủ tục visa, thẻ tạm trú và giấy phép lao động. Tôi luôn nỗ lực mang đến dịch vụ nhanh chóng, chính xác và tận tâm.
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