Vietnam: Deadlines for Semi-Annual Reports on Foreign Nationals Announced

• Documentary requirements. Companies sponsoring foreign nationals working in Vietnam must submit a signed and sealed half-yearly report to the local Department of Labour, Invalids & Social Affairs (DOLISA) office. 
• Reporting periods. The July report must cover the period between December 15, 2021 to June 14, 2022 (i.e., 6 months), and the January 2023 report must cover the period between December 15, 2021 to December 14, 2022 (i.e., 12 months).   
• Pending work permit applications. Foreign nationals whose work permits are pending approval or awaiting issuance are not required to be included with the report (if their applications are still pending by the respective deadline).  

• Consequences for late filing. Fines and monetary penalties will be imposed for employers who do not file reports on time. Fragomen recommends that employers file reports before July 7, 2022 and January 5, 2023 respectively, to avoid other adverse immigration impacts such as delays to renewal applications.  
• Immediate action required. To avoid any consequences in relation to their foreign nationals’ immigration status, sponsoring companies should comply with the filing requirements by the respective deadline.  

• Purpose of reports. The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) requires sponsoring companies to file semi-annual reports in order to track foreign nationals’ stay and status changes, if applicable in Vietnam. After the reports are filed, the various DOLISAs will submit the reports to MOLISA for its records and review. 
• Regional reporting requirements. Foreign national reporting requirements are also a feature of the immigration system in Indonesia where employers must submit annual reports on their foreign workers and the training of their Indonesian counterparts. In the Philippines, reporting requirements are also required; foreign nationals holding a valid Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Cards must appear at the Bureau of Immigration office to file their Annual Report. 

It is possible that the MOLISA will change the frequency of the reporting requirement in the future depending on the capacity of the government in enforcing the requirements.