Full List: Vietnam Drops Work Permit Rule For 18 Categories Of Foreigners
- Vietnam's government issued Decree No. 393/2026/ND-CP, removing the work permit requirement for 18 categories of foreign workers
- The categories cover a wide range of workers, from company owners and ODA project advisers to volunteers and AI programme recruits
- The decree takes effect from December 5, 2026, and applies to foreign workers across various sectors and roles in Vietnam
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Vietnam's government released Decree No. 393/2026/ND-CP on 22 October 2026, officially listing 18 categories of foreign workers who will no longer need to obtain a work permit to work in the country.
According to the official guidance published online, the decree takes effect from 5 December 2026.
Source: UGC
Full List of Exempt Categories Under Decree No. 393/2026/ND-CP
Vietnam's Government News portal stated that the following foreign workers are not required to apply for a work permit:
1. Foreign workers covered under Clauses 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, Article 154 of the Labour Code.
2. Owners or capital-contributing members of limited liability companies with a contributed capital value of VND 3 billion or more.
3. Chairpersons or members of the Board of Directors of joint-stock companies with a contributed capital value of VND 3 billion or more.
4. Workers entering Vietnam to provide professional or technical advisory services for programmes and projects funded through non-refundable aid, official development assistance (ODA), or preferential loans.
5. Press and news correspondents confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
6. Workers dispatched by foreign agencies to teach or serve as managers or executive directors at educational institutions established at the proposal of foreign diplomatic missions or intergovernmental organisations, or under international treaties to which Vietnam is a party.
7. Foreign pupils, students, and trainees with internship agreements or job offers from agencies or enterprises in Vietnam, and trainees or apprentices on Vietnamese seagoing vessels.
8. Relatives of members of foreign diplomatic missions in Vietnam, permitted to work in accordance with applicable international treaties.
9. Workers holding official passports entering Vietnam to work for state agencies, political organisations, or socio-political organisations.
10. Workers responsible for establishing a commercial presence.
11. Volunteers.
12. Workers entering Vietnam to implement international agreements signed by central or provincial agencies and organisations.
13. Workers entering for short-term work or internal transferees within enterprises operating in the 11 service sectors under Vietnam's Schedule of Specific Commitments in Services with the World Trade Organization.
14. Foreigners working at educational institutions, covering those participating in joint educational programmes, international cooperation projects in education, or holding at least a master's degree in STEM or related fields, a doctoral degree, or the title of professor or associate professor.
15. Foreign workers certified by ministries, ministerial-level agencies, or provincial-level People's Committees.
16. Workers granted special visa exemption cards under Decree No. 221/2025/ND-CP on fixed-term visa exemption for foreign nationals.
17. Experts working in fields listed under the List of Strategic Technologies and the List of Strategic Technology Products, along with their relatives.
18. Foreign workers recruited under the Prime Minister's Decision on the National Programme for Artificial Intelligence Human Resources Development.
When the Decree Takes Effect
The decree was promulgated by the Vietnamese government and will come into force on December 5, 2026.
The scheduled date officially set a clear timeline for employers and foreign workers to prepare.
Vietnam publishes guidance on visa-free entry
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Vietnam announced a pilot visa-free policy for Chinese tourists travelling to Khanh Hoa province.
The policy applies to Chinese citizens with valid ordinary passports who travel in groups of two or more under package tours.
Source: Legit.ng
