VIETNAM – What Decree 219 means for employers of foreign workers.

August 11, 2025

By: Patricia Clarino, Senior Immigration Manager, Newland Chase Advisory

Vietnam is progressively streamlining its framework for managing foreign talent. Decree 219 introduces several constructive updates that are expected to simplify hiring procedures and offer greater operational flexibility, particularly for employers with activities across various locations. However, certain implementation aspects remain unclear and will likely need further direction from the authorities. As the decree is gradually implemented at the provincial level, some initial challenges and transitional issues should be anticipated.

New rules in Vietnam aim to streamline processes and expand flexibility for employers and foreign workers. Decree 219 was officially issued on August 8th, 2025, replacing Decree 152 and its amendment (Decree 70). The new decree introduces a refreshed legal framework for employing foreign nationals in Vietnam. Applications submitted before the new decree came into effect will follow the previous regulations, but permits and exemptions issued before August 8th can be renewed under the new provisions. All previously valid documents remain enforceable until they expire.

Key information to note for employers and foreign workers in Vietnam

Updated job categories and eligibility criteria.

The decree provides amended eligibility criteria for job classifications such as manager, executive director, expert, and technical worker:

• Executive directors not officially named on corporate documents must now demonstrate three years of experience in a relevant field.
• Experts must hold a university degree and show at least two years of related work experience, or one year if they are working in the priority sectors. A previous route that allowed expert classification based solely on five years of work experience without a relevant degree has been removed.
• For technical workers, the experience threshold has been reduced. Those with at least a year of training need only two years of experience, while those without training require three years.

Work permit exemptions and new eligible groups.

The allowance for short-term assignments has been expanded. Foreign employees can now work in Vietnam for up to 90 days per calendar year (January to December) without a work permit.

Professionals in strategic areas like technology, finance, innovation, and digital transformation may now qualify for work permit exemptions, though an official confirmation from government agencies is required.

Some exempt workers are no longer required to apply for a separate Work Permit Exemption Certificate (WPEC). In all exemption cases, the employer must notify local labor authorities at least three business days before they start working in Vietnam.

Labor market testing requirement adjusted.

The new decree clarifies that the obligation to advertise jobs locally before hiring foreigners is now limited only to foreign local hires with local labor contracts. This means other employment types such as intra-company transfers and contract-based hires are no longer required to complete this step, which will help simplify the application process.

Multi-location employment is now more flexible.

Foreign employees holding a valid permit can now legally operate in multiple cities or provinces for the same employer, as long as advance notice is submitted to the appropriate local labor office. A new permit is not required to be obtained for each location. No further information is provided if this new regulation also applies to foreign employees being deployed by their Vietnamese entity to third-party work sites, such as vendors or partners.

Employers are required to notify the labor authority at the new location at least three working days before the foreign employee starts working.

Other significant updates.

• The requirement for employers to file semi-annual reports on foreign hires has been removed, reducing administrative burden.
• The previously separate foreign labor demand approval has been merged into a simplified section within the main work permit application, reducing bureaucracy and accelerating processing.

For class-leading support relating to this announcement or any other part of your corporate immigration program, contact Newland Chase today.

This news alert is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For case-specific guidance or further information, please contact Newland Chase directly.