Coming in Fast: An On-the-Ground Perspective of Vietnam’s Dynamic Immigration Landscape

It is no secret that Vietnam has been a beneficiary of global supply chain diversification and has seen a surge in interest among foreign investors and companies. Likewise, it is also clear that the country’s work permit system has been striving to keep pace, particularly since the introduction of an overly protectionist Labor Decree back in 2021.

In recent years, Fragomen has been at the forefront of efforts to gather and provide input from its client base back to the relevant Vietnamese authorities. This has been especially timely in the lead-up to a new Decree.

New Work Permit Decree

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) has been drafting a new decree that will replace the current regulations (Decree 152/2020/NĐ-CP and Decree 70/2023/NĐ-CP) governing work permits for foreign workers in Vietnam.

The new Decree has been seen as an opportunity for MOHA to address some of the more onerous work permit requirements that have made it challenging for companies to bring in foreign talent to Vietnam on a timely basis. The initial indication is that the new Decree does address several of the concerns raised by Fragomen and our clients.

How Is Fragomen Supporting the Reform?

Recently, a Fragomen delegation travelled to Vietnam to attend meetings in the key cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) (the political and commercial capitals of the country, respectively). The visit included insightful discussions with Government representatives and influential Chambers of Commerce.

Attending the key meetings were Fragomen Asia Pacific Partners, Mark Buchanan and Kenneth Lau, alongside head of Global Government Consulting Practice, Partner Julia Onslow-Cole.

The following are some of the challenges and topics discussed during the meetings:

• Stringent qualification requirements to apply for a work permit
• Identification of priority sectors where requirements could be relaxed
• Flexible criteria for those with specialist qualifications and those working in specialist fields (such as AI)
• Flexibility in work location, as many work permit holders need to travel and work throughout many provinces and cities in the country
• Duration and extension of work permits

Fragomen has been working alongside the Chambers of Commerce and other Vietnamese stakeholders to request changes, such as allowing companies to submit one work permit application to the authorities where the employer is located, regardless of the worksite, with simple notifications to provincial authorities in other provinces. In turn, for example, the Chambers of Commerce have been collaborating closely with the Vietnam Business Forum (VBF) to advocate for the proposed changes.

Other Insights and Developments

Apart from work permit reforms, the visit included discussions on the government’s ongoing initiatives aimed at encouraging trade and foreign investment in Vietnam.

One notable development is the establishment of Free Trade Zones (FTZ). Vietnam has officially established its first FTZ in Da Nang (an up-and-coming destination), which is a key component of the strategy to transform Da Nang into a regional economic hub and vital link in the global supply chain, with a focus on innovation for high-tech industries.

There were also active discussions on the establishment of a financial FTZ in HCMC with the support of the government and other country stakeholders. However, the ability to attract foreign talent will be important to the success of this and other FTZs for specialized sectors.

Fragomen looks forward to sharing its expertise on cross-border and freezone-related immigration frameworks to provide supportive immigration policies, drawing on the experience working with similar framework in United Arab Emirates.

What Lies Ahead

As Vietnam prepares to implement its new Work Permit Decree, Fragomen continues to take part in discussions with government. By gathering feedback from clients and offering pragmatic recommendations to relevant stakeholders, the firm aims to support an immigration system that better supports international mobility and investments. Stay tuned for timely updates as Vietnam’s immigration landscape continues to evolve.

Need To Know More?

To know more about the upcoming immigration policy changes in Vietnam, please contact Partners Mark Buchanan and Kenneth Lau at [email protected] and [email protected] respectively, Director Maysie Pandor at [email protected] and Assistant Manager Sherwin Gan at [email protected]. 

This blog was published on 8 August 2025, and due to the circumstances, there are frequent changes. To keep up to date with all the latest updates on global immigration, please subscribe to our alerts and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.