Vietnam | Decree 219 issued, streamlining immigration processes

The Vietnamese government issued Decree 219/2025/NĐ-CP, providing greater flexibility and streamlined processes for companies managing foreign national workers in Vietnam.

Key Points:

• Short-term work mission periods have been extended from 30 days up to three times per year to 90 days per calendar year.
• Foreign national workers with expertise in priority sectors, such as finance, science and technology, may now qualify for a work permit exemption.
• The formal labor market test and approved foreign labor demand are now only required for foreign nationals employed under a Vietnamese labor contract. Intra-company transfers and service contract deployments no longer require these steps.
• The separate “foreign labor demand” approval process has been integrated into the single work permit application form, Form No. 03.
• Greater flexibility has been extended to several qualification requirements:
  • The relevant experience requirement for experts has been reduced from three years to two years, and to just one year for those in priority sectors with a relevant degree.
  • Experience requirements for technical workers have been reduced from three years to two years for those with one year of training, and from five years to three years for those without proof of training.
• A foreign national employee holding a valid work permit by an employer in one province can now work for the same employer in other provinces with only a notification to the local labor authority at least three days before starting in the new location.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

Copyright © 2025 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries, please contact copyright@bal.com.