People Advisory & Mobility
Work Permit & Immigration Vietnam
Vietnam work permit and immigration support for in-bound talent
Vietnam rewrote its foreign-worker rules in August 2025 - Decree 219/2025/ND-CP now governs work permits through a single consolidated procedure, filed online, with a statutory turnaround of 10 working days from a complete dossier. We prepare and file that dossier, coordinate LĐ2 work visas, dependant TT visas, and Temporary Residence Cards, and track every application through to issue. Delivered by our locally-incorporated Vietnam office, part of the People Profilers group serving Southeast Asia since 2002.
24+ years
of regional recruitment heritage across Southeast Asia
Licensed
Licensed recruitment agency - Enterprise Code: 0318135337
3 approvals
Work Permit · LĐ2 Visa · dependant TT
Per-application
transparent line-item pricing, no minimums
How it works
1
Eligibility check
We review the proposed role, the candidate, and the employer's profile against the criteria of Decree 219/2025/ND-CP - role and qualification fit, the employing entity's standing, and whether one of the decree's 15 exemption categories applies, such as work totalling under 90 days in a calendar year. If eligibility is marginal, we say so before any application is submitted, with options to strengthen the dossier - and where an exemption applies, we prepare the written notification instead, filed at least three working days before the start date.
2
Application preparation
We assemble the complete online dossier - the consolidated work permit application, supporting documents from the employer and candidate, qualification verifications legalised and translated where required, and role justification. The criminal record certificate can be applied for in the same submission, so we prepare both together and review for completeness before filing.
3
Submission & monitoring
We file the dossier with the provincial Department of Home Affairs - since 20 June 2026 applications go directly to DOHA - through the National Public Service Portal, monitor processing against the statutory 10-working-day turnaround, and respond to authority queries within the requested timeframe. If DOHA or the Immigration Department requests additional documentation, we coordinate a substantive response with the employer and candidate.
4
Renewals, changes, & appeals
After approval, we coordinate ongoing management - the one permitted work permit renewal ahead of the four-year ceiling, LĐ2 visa and Temporary Residence Card applications with the Immigration Department, dependant TT visa linkages, and cancellations on departure. If a query or rejection warrants it, we prepare and submit a substantive response with the employer.
Work permit & visa services in Vietnam under Recruitment Licence 6208/2024/20/SLĐTBXH-VLATLĐ
People Profilers Services Vietnam Company Limited (Enterprise Code 0318135337) holds Recruitment Licence 6208/2024/20/SLĐTBXH-VLATLĐ - issued under Vietnam's recruitment-licensing framework, which authorises us to act as your appointed processing agent in Vietnam. We administer work permits, LĐ2 work visas, dependant TT visas, and Temporary Residence Cards for Vietnam employers, backed by the People Profilers group's 24+ years of regional recruitment heritage across Southeast Asia. We are the licensed filer; the client remains the legal employer of every foreign hire. Our practice is built around three things - accurate first-time submissions to reduce the likelihood of queries or rejections, honest eligibility advice before applications are filed (we will say no if the candidate's profile doesn't meet current criteria), and a per-application pricing model with no minimum commitment so you only pay for filings you actually need. We don't pretend to control DOHA's or the Immigration Department's processing timelines or approval decisions - those sit with the authorities - but we do everything within our control to give each application the best chance. Before you plan a timeline, read what changed in the work permit rules in August 2025.
What's included in our work permit & visa service
Three layers - the work permit and visa filings themselves, the compliance and advisory work that should accompany every application, and a pricing structure designed for transparency and budget control. No minimum commitment, no retainer, no bundled HR services on the per-application track.
Permit & visa filings
- ✓Work Permit - initial applications & renewals via provincial DOHA
- ✓LĐ2 work visa - issuance & extensions of stay
- ✓Temporary Residence Cards - LĐ2 & TT holders, up to 2 years
- ✓Dependant TT visas - linked to the primary work permit holder
Compliance & advisory
- ✓Eligibility pre-checks before filing
- ✓Exemption assessment - 15 categories under Decree 219/2025
- ✓Exemption notices - written notification at least 3 working days before start
- ✓DOHA & Immigration Department query responses & resubmission preparation
Transparent pricing
- ✓Per-application service fee, line-itemed
- ✓Government fees passed through at official rates, no markup
- ✓No retainer, no minimum commitment
- ✓Quoted up front before any application is submitted
Fees are confirmed per filing in writing before submission. The client remains the legal employer of the work permit holder; People Profilers acts as the licensed processing agent filing on the client's behalf. If you also want your broader HR function - payroll, employee lifecycle, statutory reporting - bundled with work permit administration under one retainer, see HR Shared Services.
When standalone work permit & visa services make sense
Standalone work permit and visa services fit employers who run their own HR function in-house but want a licensed agent to handle the filings. Three patterns we see most often.
Foreign HQ expanding into Vietnam
Overseas HQs hiring their first Vietnam-based foreign professionals, often before they have any in-region HR presence. We administer the work permits and LĐ2 visas, coordinate dependant TT visas and Temporary Residence Cards for the family relocation, and advise on the broader sequence - a Vietnam-incorporated employing entity and complete, legalised documentation - that needs to be in place before the first work permit can be issued.
Established employer with regular permit volume
Vietnam employers with a steady cycle of filings - work permit renewals, LĐ2 visa extensions, Temporary Residence Card applications, and exemption notices - who want a consistent licensed partner rather than managing DOHA and Immigration Department submissions in-house or rotating between agents. Per-application pricing means you only pay for filings you actually need.
Complex or marginal applications needing eligibility review
Senior hires where eligibility is borderline (qualification recognition, role justification, employer-side criteria), assignments near the 90-day exemption threshold where the right route needs judgement, or candidates with non-standard profiles that need careful framing. We assess upfront whether the application has a realistic path to approval before any submission, and prepare substantive responses if the authorities query or reject.
If you want work permit and visa filings bundled with full HR function outsourcing under one retainer, see HR Shared Services. If you're planning a restructuring that affects foreign-hire workforce decisions before any filing decisions are made, our HR Consultation service helps with the upstream workforce planning.
Where we fit in the process
As a licensed agency we advise on eligibility, prepare and file the application, and track it through to issue. The employing company remains the sponsor throughout - work permits are issued to foreign nationals employed directly by a Vietnam-incorporated entity.
Recruitment Licence 6208/2024/20/SLĐTBXH-VLATLĐ · Labour Leasing Licence 14/2024/SHCM
Industries & Functions We Cover
Work permit and visa filings span every major Vietnam industry. Your application will be prepared by people who understand the role context, eligibility nuances, and documentation requirements of your industry - backed by the People Profilers group's 24+ years of regional recruitment heritage across Southeast Asia.
Aerospace & Aviation
Aircraft maintenance technicians, avionics and component specialists, ground operations and aviation supply chain roles around Tan Son Nhat, Noi Bai and Long Thanh.
Automotive
Production and quality engineers, supplier development, sales and aftersales management for assemblers and the growing EV and component base.
Banking & Financial Services
Relationship managers, credit and risk analysts, compliance and AML officers and operations specialists across Vietnamese commercial banks, insurers and securities firms.
Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical
Regulatory affairs, QA and validation, medical representatives and market access roles for manufacturers, importers and distributors.
Chemical
Process and production engineers, plant supervisors, HSE officers and technical sales across the southern and central industrial zones.
Construction & Civil Engineering
Project and site managers, civil, structural and M&E engineers, quantity surveyors and safety officers on Vietnamese infrastructure and property projects.
FMCG & Retail
Brand and trade marketing managers, key account and modern trade specialists, and retail operations across a fast-growing national footprint.
Healthcare
Clinical operations, nursing leadership, medical representatives and regulatory specialists for private hospital groups and device companies.
IT & Telecommunication
Software engineers, DevOps, product managers and data specialists across the Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang development centres and outsourcing firms.
Logistics & Transportation
Freight forwarding, customs and import-export specialists, warehouse and distribution managers around Cat Lai, Hai Phong and the border crossings.
Marine & Offshore Engineering
Marine and subsea engineers, yard and vessel operations, project managers and HSE specialists across shipbuilding and offshore support.
Media & Publishing
Account management, content and performance marketing, creative and production roles across agencies, platforms and publishers.
Oil & Gas
Process, drilling and project engineers, HSE coordinators and commercial analysts for upstream operators, service companies and refineries.
Real Estate & Property
Development and project managers, leasing and property managers, facilities leads and investment roles for Vietnamese developers and funds.
Semiconductor
Process, test and packaging engineers, equipment and production specialists across the assembly and testing plants in the northern and southern parks.
Frequently asked questions
What does a foreign professional need to work in Vietnam?
Three approvals, in sequence: a work permit - issued under Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, with applications filed with the provincial Department of Home Affairs - an LĐ2 work visa, and, for stays of a year or more, a Temporary Residence Card, issued only against LĐ2 or TT visas for up to two years. The work permit must be in place before work begins. For each, we prepare and file applications, manage renewals ahead of expiry, and coordinate cancellations on departure.
Since August 2025 the application runs as one consolidated online dossier, and the criminal record certificate can be applied for in the same submission through the National Public Service Portal - both are returned electronically together. If the assignment totals under 90 days in a calendar year, a work permit exemption applies instead - see below.
What must an employer have in place to sponsor a work permit?
The employing company must be a Vietnam-incorporated entity, and it remains the sponsor throughout - work permits attach to a direct employment relationship, and Vietnamese law does not permit an agency or EOR arrangement to stand in for it. Beyond that, the dossier must evidence role justification and the candidate's qualifications, legalised and translated to current standards.
We review your entity profile and the candidate's documents against these criteria before any application is filed - and tell you plainly if the sponsorship base isn't there yet, with options to strengthen it before submission rather than after a rejection.
If your filing volume is high enough that bundling makes sense, or if you want work permit administration combined with broader HR function outsourcing under one retainer, see our HR Shared Services page - that's the right framing for those engagements.
Do short-term assignments need a work permit?
Not if the work totals under 90 days in a calendar year - that is one of the 15 exemption categories set out in Decree 219/2025. Exemption is not a free pass: the employer must still notify the competent authority in writing at least three working days before the person starts, and getting that notice wrong is one of the more common compliance gaps we're asked to clean up.
We assess upfront whether an exemption genuinely applies, prepare the written notification where it does, and file the full application where it doesn't - with honest advice on which side of the line an assignment sits.
How long does a Vietnam work permit take?
The statutory turnaround is 10 working days from a complete dossier - Decree 219/2025 combined the old two-step flow of labour-demand approval and permit application into a single online procedure, filed directly with the provincial Department of Home Affairs since 20 June 2026. In practice, document collection, legalisation, and translation usually take longer than the official window, so the timeline is driven by how quickly the dossier comes together.
One 2026 change worth planning for: anyone who entered on a DN1, VR, or e-visa before their work permit was approved must complete a visa-conversion step before applying for a Temporary Residence Card, which adds roughly two weeks. Where timing matters, entering on the right visa class from the outset avoids it - when you engage us for a filing, we share current expectations for your specific filing type and flag any unusual queue behaviour we're seeing.
Can a work permit holder bring a spouse and children to Vietnam?
Yes. The spouse and children of a work permit holder can apply for dependant TT visas, linked to the primary applicant's status, and for Temporary Residence Cards on the same basis. A dependant TT visa does not carry work rights - if a spouse intends to work in Vietnam, they need their own work permit and LĐ2 visa sponsored by their own employer.
We coordinate dependant filings in parallel with the primary application - relationship documentation, legalisation, and residence applications aligned to the primary holder's dates - so the family relocates on one timeline. One passport rule to plan around: a Temporary Residence Card requires at least 13 months' remaining passport validity, and the card must expire at least 30 days before the passport does.
What ongoing compliance applies after the work permit is approved?
A Vietnamese work permit is valid for a maximum of two years and may be renewed once for a similar period - a four-year ceiling. When the renewal expires, continuing the employment relationship means running the full application again from the start, so we plan renewals well ahead of expiry rather than in the final weeks. The LĐ2 visa or Temporary Residence Card runs on its own dates alongside the permit, and departures require work permit cancellation. We track these cycles for every filing we manage.
If you'd rather have renewals, reporting, and the broader HR function - payroll, employee lifecycle, statutory filings - handled under one retainer, see our HR Shared Services page. Standalone per-application engagement remains the right fit for employers who only need the immigration filings themselves.
Explore our other services
Need something different? Browse our other broad service categories.
Build strong teams with confidence. Our recruitment solutions connect you with the right talent, at the right time, using a consultative approach that prioritises long term fit and performance.
Simplify workforce management while staying compliant. Our employer and payroll solutions reduce administrative burden and allow you to focus on growing your business.
