Foreign students studying in Việt Nam are exempt from the requirement for work permits. — Photo nhandan.vn

HÀ NỘI — The foreign workforce, comprising investors, strategic technology experts, and artificial intelligence professionals, is exempt from the requirement to obtain a work permit.

The exemption is provided in Government Decree 393/2026/NĐ-CP regulating foreign labourers working in Việt Nam, that takes effect on December 15.

The decree specifies 18 cases in which foreign workers are exempt from the requirement to obtain a work permit.

The first group of foreign nationals exempt from work permit requirements includes owners or capital-contributing members of limited liability companies whose capital contributions meet the thresholds prescribed by the Government; chairpersons or members of the boards of directors of joint-stock companies whose capital contributions meet the applicable thresholds; heads of representative offices or projects, or persons with primary responsibility for the operations of international organisations and foreign non-governmental organisations in Việt Nam; foreign lawyers licensed to practise law in Việt Nam; and foreign nationals married to Vietnamese citizens and residing in Việt Nam.

The regulations also cover foreign nationals who are owners or capital-contributing members of limited liability companies or chairpersons or members of the boards of directors of joint-stock companies with capital contributions of at least VNĐ3 billion (US$116,000).

Other exemptions apply to foreign nationals entering Việt Nam to provide professional or technical consultancy services, or to perform tasks related to programmes and projects funded by non-refundable aid, official development assistance (ODA) or concessional loans under international instruments, agreements or treaties approved or signed by competent authorities.

Foreign journalists authorised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to carry out press activities are also exempt from work permit requirements. The exemption also applies to individuals appointed by competent foreign agencies or organisations to teach or serve as managers or executive directors at certain education institutions in Việt Nam, as well as family members of foreign diplomatic mission staff who are permitted to work under treaties to which Việt Nam is a party.

The decree also exempts foreign students and trainees studying in Việt Nam or overseas who have internship agreements or job invitation letters from agencies, organisations or businesses in Việt Nam; trainees undertaking internships or apprenticeships on board Vietnamese vessels; and foreign nationals holding official passports who enter Việt Nam to work for State agencies, political organisations or socio-political organisations.

Other exempt groups include foreign nationals responsible for establishing commercial presences in Việt Nam, volunteers, and individuals entering Việt Nam to implement international agreements signed by central- or provincial-level agencies and organisations in accordance with the law.

Notably, the decree introduces additional exemptions for foreign nationals working at education institutions, including those involved in teaching, research, or the transfer of international education programmes or educational cooperation and training programmes.

Individuals holding a master's degree or higher in STEM, science, technology, digital transformation, finance, economics or business administration who engage in teaching or scientific research are also exempt from work permit requirements.

Similar exemptions apply to doctoral degree holders teaching or conducting research at vocational education or higher education institutions, as well as professors and associate professors engaged in teaching, research or academic exchanges at these institutions.

Other exempt categories include individuals certified by ministries, ministerial-level agencies or provincial-level People's Committees; holders of special visa exemption cards under Decree 221/2025/NĐ-CP; experts in strategic technology fields and their family members; and individuals recruited under the Prime Minister's National Programme for the Development of Artificial Intelligence Human Resources. — VNS