Decree 325/2025/ND-CP on labor, employment and social security in the International Financial Center in Vietnam

DECREE

On labor, employment and social security in the International Financial Center in Vietnam

Pursuant to the Law No. 63/2025/QH15 on Organization of the Government;

Pursuant to the Law No. 72/2025/QH15 on Organization of Local Administration;

Pursuant to the Law No. 41/2024/QH15 on Social Insurance;

Pursuant to the Law on Health Insurance No. 25/2008/QH12, which was amended and supplemented by Laws No. 32/2013/QH15, 46/2014/QH15, 97/2015/QH15, 35/2018/QH14, 68/2020/QH14, 30/2023/QH15 and 51/2024/QH15;

Pursuant to the Labor Code No. 45/2019/QH14;

Pursuant to the Law on Employment No. 38/2013/QH13;

Pursuant to the National Assembly’s Resolution No. 222/2025/QH15 on the International Financial Center in Vietnam;

At the proposal of the Minister of Home Affairs;

The Government promulgates the Decree on labor, employment and social security in the International Financial Center in Vietnam.

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of regulation

This Decree details and provides guidance for the implementation of Clause 3 Article 20, Clause 1 Article 21, and Points a and b Clause 4 Article 21 of Resolution No. 222/2025/QH15 dated June 27, 2025 of the National Assembly on the International Financial Center in Vietnam (hereinafter referred to as Resolution No. 222/2025/QH15) regarding labor, employment and social security within the International Financial Center in Vietnam (hereinafter referred to as the International Financial Center).

Article 2. Subject of application

1. Vietnamese employees prescribed in Clause 1 Article 2 of the Labor Code No. 45/2019/QH14 and foreign employees prescribed in Clause 3 Article 2 of the Labor Code No. 45/2019/QH14 who work for the employers specified in Clause 2 of this Article.

2. Employers include members of the International Financial Center, the Executive Agencies of the International Financial Center, the Supervisory Agency of the International Financial Center, and the agencies in charge of resolving disputes at the International Financial Center as prescribed in Clauses 2, 5 and 6 Article 3, and Point c Clause 1 Article 9 of Resolution No. 222/2025/QH15.

3. Other relevant agencies, organizations and individuals.

Chapter II

LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT

Article 3. Recruitment of employees

1. Employers may proactively recruit Vietnamese employees in accordance with Clause 1 Article 11 of the Labor Code No. 45/2019/QH14.

2. Employers may proactively recruit foreign employees based on work needs, without being subject to any limitation on the proportion of foreign employees.

3. The recruitment of Vietnamese and foreign employees prescribed in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article must not adversely affect national security.

Article 4. Competence to grant, re-grant, extend and revoke work permits and work permit exemption certificates

The Executive Agency of the International Financial Center in Ho Chi Minh City and the Executive Agency of the International Financial Center in Da Nang City (hereinafter collectively referred to as the Executive Agencies in the cities) are competent to grant, re-grant, extend and revoke work permits and work permit exemption certificates for foreign employees working for employers specified in Clause 2 Article 2 of this Decree in the respective cities.

Article 5. Foreign employees exempt from work permits

1. Foreign employees shall be exempt from work permits when falling into one of the following cases:

a) Being the subjects prescribed at Points a and b Clause 1 Article 20 of Resolution No. 222/2025/QH15, except for accompanying family members;

b) Being the subjects eligible for work permit exemption as prescribed in Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP;

c) Meeting the professional standards specified by the Executive Agencies in the cities.

2. Employers shall be responsible for requesting the grant, re-grant, extension, and revocation of work permit exemption certificates of their foreign employees specified in Clause 1 of this Article.

Article 6. Grant, re-grant, extension, and revocation of work permit exemption certificates

1. Grant, re-grant, extension, and revocation of work permit exemption certificates for employees specified in Clause 1 Article 5 of this Decree shall be implemented in accordance with Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP.

The time limit for settlement of a dossier of request for grant or extension of work permit exemption certificate is 03 working days from the date of receipt of a complete dossier.

2. For foreign employees being the subjects prescribed at Point a Clause 1 Article 5 of this Decree, employers are not required to carry out procedures for grant of work permit exemption certificates for them but must notify the Executive Agencies in the cities online on the National public service portal or through public postal services or directly at least 03 working days prior to the date on which their foreign employees are expected to commence working in Vietnam.

Such a notice shall include the following principle contents: full name, date of birth, nationality, passport number, name of the foreign employer, working place, and working duration. The working duration must not exceed the validity period of the visa, temporary residence card or permanent residence card prescribed at Points a and b Clause 1 Article 20 of Resolution No. 222/2025/QH15.

Article 7. Validity period of work permit exemption certificates

The validity period of a work permit exemption certificate shall not exceed 10 years.

Article 8. Grant, re-grant, extension, and revocation of work permits

1. Employers shall be responsible for requesting the grant, re-grant, extension, and revocation of work permits of their foreign employees, except for the subjects prescribed in Clause 1 Article 5 of this Decree.

In cases of requesting grant or extension of work permits for their foreign employees, the employers are not required to submit a report explaining the demand for employing foreign employees and not required to notify recruitment of Vietnamese employees for positions expected to be filled by foreign employees.

2. The grant, re-grant, extension, and revocation of work permits for foreign employees specified in Clause 1 of this Article shall be implemented in accordance with Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP.

The time limit for settlement of a dossier of request for grant or extension of work permit is 03 working days from the date of receipt of a complete dossier.

Article 9. Validity period of work permits

The validity period of a work permit shall not exceed 10 years.

Chapter III
SOCIAL SECURITY

Article 10. Social insurance

1. The participation in social insurance and settlement of social insurance regimes for Vietnamese employees working at the International Financial Center shall be implemented in accordance with the laws on social insurance.

2. The participation in compulsory social insurance and settlement of compulsory social insurance regimes for foreign employees working for employers at the International Financial Center who are subject to participation in compulsory social insurance as prescribed in Clause 2 Article 2 of the Law on Social Insurance No. 41/2024/QH15 shall be implemented in accordance with the laws on compulsory social insurance.

3. Foreigners working at the International Financial Center who are not subject to participation in compulsory social insurance as prescribed in Clause 2 Article 2 of the Law on Social Insurance No. 41/2024/QH15 may request for participation in compulsory social insurance. The participation in compulsory social insurance and settlement of compulsory social insurance regimes shall be implemented in the same manner as applicable to foreign employees prescribed in Clause 2 of this Article.

4. In cases foreigners working at the International Financial Center request participation in social insurance as prescribed in Clause 3 of this Article but do not have labor contracts and do not receive salary, they may select the salary used as a basis for payment of compulsory social insurance premiums, between the reference level and 20 times the reference level at the time of premium payment as prescribed at Point d Clause 1 Article 31 of the Law on Social Insurance No. 41/2024/QH15.

5. Foreigners working at the International Financial Center who are participating in compulsory social insurance as prescribed in Clause 3 of this Article are entitled to:

a) Cease participating in compulsory social insurance when having participated in compulsory social insurance for at least 12 months from the time of requesting participation and submitting a request to cease the participation;

b) Adjust their salary used as a basis for payment of compulsory social insurance premiums after payment of compulsory social insurance premiums based on the selected salary for at least 12 months from the time of selection by submitting a request to adjust the salary;

c) Cease participating in social insurance to receive lump-sum social insurance payouts in the following cases: having participated in compulsory social insurance for at least 12 months from the time of participation request and submitting a request to cease participation in order to receive lump-sum social insurance payouts, or no longer working at the International Financial Center.

6. Foreign employees working at the International Financial Center who have participated in social insurance in a foreign country or territory shall be partially exempted from compulsory social insurance obligations in Vietnam in accordance with treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a contracting party.

7. The forms of requesting for participation, cessation of participation, and adjustment of the salary used as a basis for payment of compulsory social insurance premiums for foreigners working at the International Financial Center as prescribed in Clauses 3 and 5 of this Article shall be promulgated by the social insurance agency.

Article 11. Unemployment insurance

1. The participation in unemployment insurance and settlement of unemployment insurance regimes for Vietnamese employees working at the International Financial Center shall be implemented in accordance with the law on employment.

2. Foreigners working at the International Financial Center may participate in unemployment insurance by submitting a request for participation. The participation in unemployment insurance and settlement of unemployment insurance regimes shall be implemented in the same manner as applicable to Vietnamese employees prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article.

Article 12. Health insurance

The participation in health insurance and settlement of health insurance regimes for Vietnamese and foreign employees working at the International Financial Center shall be implemented in accordance with the law on health insurance.

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

Article 13. Effect

1. This Decree takes effect on December 18, 2025.

2. In case documents mentioned herein are amended, supplemented or replaced, the corresponding provisions of these amending, supplementing or replacing documents shall apply.

Article 14. Transitional provisions

1. Work permit exemption certificates and work permits of foreign employees that have been granted, re-granted or extended prior to the effective date of this Decree shall continue to be valid until their expiry and shall be granted, re-granted, extended or revoked in accordance with this Decree.

2. In cases employers have submitted dossiers of request for grant, re-grant, extension or revocation of work permits and work permit exemption certificates prior to the effective date of this Decree, such dossiers shall continue to be considered and resolved in accordance with Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP.

Article 15. Responsibility of implementation

1. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Home Affairs:

a) To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and the People’s Committee of Da Nang City in, performing the uniform state management of recruitment and management of Vietnamese and foreign employees working in the International Financial Center;

b) To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, ministerial-level agencies, the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and the People’s Committee of Da Nang City in, conducting annual or ad hoc specialized examination, assessment and supervision of the observance of regulations on labor, employment and social security by the Executive Agencies in the cities;

c) To summarize difficulties and problems arising during the implementation process, to report and propose recommendations to competent authorities.

2. Responsibilities of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and the People’s Committee of Da Nang City:

a) To manage Vietnamese and foreign employees working in the International Financial Center;

b) To disseminate and popularize the laws on labor, employment and social security in the International Financial Center; to conduct inspection and examination and handle violations in accordance with law regulations;

c) To report to the Ministry of Home Affairs on the observance of regulations on labor, employment and social security in the International Financial Center before December 15 each year or on an ad hoc basis.

3. Responsibilities of the Executive Agencies in the cities:

a) To formulate professional standards for foreign employees exempt from work permits as prescribed in Clause 3 Article 20 of Resolution No. 222/2025/QH15;

b) To organize the implementation of regulations on labor, employment and social security in the International Financial Center;

c) To report to the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, the People’s Committee of Da Nang City on the observance of regulations on labor, employment and social security in the International Financial Center before December 10 each year or on an ad hoc basis.

4. Responsibilities of employers:

a) To comply with regulations on labor, employment and social security prescribed in this Decree;

b) To recruit and employ Vietnamese and foreign employees in a manner ensuring national security and social safety;

c) To report to the Executive Agencies in the cities on the observance of regulations on labor, employment and social security before December 05 each year or on an ad hoc basis.

5. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, the Chairperson of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, the Chairperson of the People’s Committee of Da Nang City, and related organizations and individuals shall take responsibility for the implementation of this Decree.