Vietnam
Development of vocational skills
Impact date: 7 April 2026 A new Decree provides detailed guidance on vocational skills development. It sets out principles applicable to employee training, professional development and skills enhancement programs, and introduces additional responsibilities for employers in relation to workforce upskilling and participation in the national vocational skills framework. Employers are responsible for:
- organizing and facilitating employee participation in training, professional development and vocational skills improvement programs, including participation in national vocational skills assessments where relevant. Employers may also be required to assign qualified employee experts to assist with the development, drafting and evaluation of national vocational skills standards and assessment tools, and to participate in national vocational skills assessment activities at the request of competent authorities and
- giving priority to recognizing and using national vocational skills certificates when making decisions relating to recruitment, job assignment, salary grading, remuneration, promotion, salary increases, allowances, benefits and career progression
Employer implications/action needed Employers should review whether roles within the business are subject to mandatory training or certification requirements, ensure that internal training arrangements align with the new framework, and consider how vocational skills certifications are reflected in HR and remuneration practices.
Employer risk Employers may face administrative fines where they employ individuals who do not have the required training or vocational certificates for roles that legally require trained or certified workers, or where they misuse state financial support provided for employee training or retraining programs, including by using funding in a manner inconsistent with approved plans issued by competent authorities.
Administrative procedures related to foreign workers working in Vietnam
Impact date: 13 May 2026 The Ministry of Home Affairs has published amended administrative procedures relating to the employment of foreign workers in Vietnam.
The amendments cover procedures for:
- the issuance, re-issuance and extension of certificates confirming that a foreign worker is exempt from work permit requirements and
- the issuance, re-issuance and extension of work permits for foreign workers working in Vietnam
Employer implications/action needed Employers must perform these administrative procedures related to foreign workers working in Vietnam at provincial-level People’s Committees.
Employer risk Employing foreign workers in Vietnam without a work permit or without a certificate confirming they are not subject to work permit requirements, or with expired work permits or expired certificates confirming they are not subject to work permit requirements, shall lead to administrative fines.
Trade union finance
Impact date: 16 May 2026 New guidance has been issued on the implementation of trade union finance obligations under the Law on Trade Unions. The Decree clarifies that enterprises must pay trade union contributions on a monthly basis at the same time as mandatory social insurance contributions for employees. It also confirms that payment must be made no later than the last day of the following month.
The Decree further specifies circumstances constituting late payment or non-payment of trade union contributions, and sets out the cases in which an enterprise may qualify for an exemption from, or reduction of, its payment obligations.
Employer implications/action needed Employers should review payroll and finance processes to ensure that trade union contributions are paid monthly and aligned with social insurance payment cycles. Trade union contributions remain payable from the enterprise’s financial resources and may be treated as operating expenses for production, business, and service activities in accordance with Vietnamese law. Employers should also assess whether any exemption or reduction provisions may apply to them.
Employer risk Failure to comply with the contribution requirements may result in administrative penalties. Fines can range from 12% to 20% of the unpaid amount calculated at the date the violation record is issued, subject to a maximum fine of VND 75m. Employers may also be required to pay outstanding amounts together with interest calculated at the highest demand deposit interest rate publicly quoted by state-owned commercial banks at the time the penalty is imposed.
Electronic employment contract platform
Impact date: 27 May 2026 and 1 July 2026 New regulations establish the operational framework for Vietnam’s Electronic Employment Contract Platform, which supports electronic transactions relating to the creation, execution, and management of electronic employment contracts (“e-employment contracts”). The regulations define the Platform’s scope, operational procedures, services, functions, and technical features, including mechanisms for managing and storing information relating to e-employment contracts.
Effective 1 July 2026, additional guidance has been issued on the operation of the Electronic Employment Contract Platform and the administration of e-employment contract identification codes (IDs). The guidance covers the issuance of IDs, the creation and management of access accounts, the locking and unlocking of accounts, and the management, storage, sharing, and use of Platform data. The guidance also sets out circumstances in which the Platform will refuse to issue an ID for an e-employment contract and must provide reasons for the refusal.
These include cases where:
- the e-employment contract was executed from 1 July 2026
- the contract was converted from a paper document or
- e-employment contracts executed before 1 July 2026 do not satisfy statutory requirements or contain incorrect identity verification information
Employer implications/action needed Employers using the Platform may access and manage information relating to e-employment contracts, submit labour utilization reports required under Decree No. 145/2020/ND-CP, and file other reports required under labour, wage, and social insurance legislation. Employers may also be required to cooperate with authorities in verifying, updating, or supplementing information stored on the Platform. Employers should ensure that their contracts and employee identification data comply with statutory requirements before submission to the Platform.
Employer risk Employers are legally responsible for the accuracy and legality of all information, registrations, and data submitted through the Platform. Inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading information may expose employers to liability under applicable labour and data-related laws.
Vietnamese laborers working abroad
Impact date: 30 June 2026 Amendments have been introduced to the regulatory framework governing Vietnamese laborers working overseas under labour supply contracts.
The changes include revisions to the required content of labour supply agreements, with greater emphasis on compliance with the specific market, industry, occupation, and job concerned. The amendments also require enterprises to provide documentation demonstrating that the deployment of Vietnamese workers abroad complies with the laws of the receiving jurisdiction. In addition, rules on maximum service fee levels payable under brokerage contracts are introduced.
Employer implications/action needed Enterprises involved in sending Vietnamese laborers abroad should review and update their labour supply contracts, recruitment procedures, and compliance documentation to ensure alignment with both Vietnamese requirements and the laws of the receiving country. Employers must also continue to comply with reporting obligations, including regular labour data updates.
Employer risk Non-compliance may result in administrative sanctions, including monetary penalties and possible suspension of activities relating to the placement of Vietnamese laborers overseas. Regulatory scrutiny may also increase where employers fail to maintain adequate documentation or breach recruitment and fee requirements.
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