— Before You Fly

Before you fly to Vietnam

Four things to do before you board: check the offer with the destination's own authority, know your rights, carry the right papers, and get the practical details in writing.

Check your offer Destination guide

Step 1 · Check the offer

Who to check with in Vietnam.

Vietnam

Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA)

MOLISA is the ministry responsible for labour. Read the work-permit rules on the Vietnam Government Portal before you accept an offer.

Official site ↗

Last checked 29 September 2026. Links go to official sites we do not control; treat each site as the authority, not this page.

Your Rights, From Official Sources

What the government and the ILO publish, in plain words. Laws change: your contract and the official page always win over this summary.

Who can apply

The portal says a foreign worker must be a manager, executive, expert or technical worker to get a work permit. A technical worker needs at least one year of training in a technical field plus three years working in it, or five years of experience in the job. The page cites Decree 152/2020, so confirm the rules have not been replaced before you rely on them.
Vietnam Government Portal: Work permits (page cites Decree 152/2020/ND-CP), read 8 October 2026
The employer is the applicant: it must first ask MOLISA or the provincial authority to approve hiring a foreign worker, and the application includes a health certificate issued within 12 months, a criminal record certificate issued within 6 months, and a notarised passport copy.
Vietnam Government Portal: Work permits (page cites Decree 152/2020/ND-CP), read 8 October 2026
Working without a work permit, or with an expired one, can bring a fine of VND 15 to 25 million for the foreign worker, plus expulsion from Vietnam. The employer faces fines of VND 30 million upward. Do not start work before the permit or a written exemption is in hand.
Vietnam Government Portal: Work permits, read 8 October 2026

Recruitment fees and your documents

The portal says the foreign worker does not pay the work permit application fee: the employer should cover it. The fee varies by province, for example VND 400,000 in Hanoi and VND 600,000 in Ho Chi Minh City for a new permit, and the highest fee it lists is VND 1,000,000.
Vietnam Government Portal: Work permits (page cites Decree 152/2020/ND-CP and Circular 250/2016/TT-BTC), read 8 October 2026

Contract and pay

A work permit lasts as long as the labour contract or the sending arrangement, but not more than two years. The portal says processing usually takes five working days after a complete application, and the application is filed at least 15 days before the work starts.
Vietnam Government Portal: Work permits (page cites Decree 152/2020/ND-CP), read 8 October 2026
A foreign worker who holds a work permit is treated as working legally and has their rights in the labour relationship protected by Vietnamese law, under the Labour Code, unless an international treaty says otherwise.
Vietnam Government Portal: Work permits, read 8 October 2026

Checked against the linked pages on 2026-10-08. This is general information, not legal advice.

Step 2 · Carry

What goes in your hand luggage.

Papers, originals

Your passport, with your visa or entry documents ready
Your medical and any clearance certificates your destination required
Your flight details and the address you are going to

Papers, copies

The employment contract exactly as you signed it, printed and on your phone
Education and trade certificates, kept apart from your main folder
A photo of your passport photo page saved where your family can also reach it

People and health

Phone numbers for your specialist, your employer contact and your family, written down
Any prescription medicine in its original packaging, with the prescription
A small amount of cash for the first day, not a large sum

Keep your own passport with you. If anyone asks to hold it, do not hand it over before you have checked the rights above and talked to your specialist.

Step 3 · Get it in writing

Ask these before you board, and keep the answers.

Details such as pickup, housing and how pay reaches you differ by employer and city. We do not guess them for you; ask, and get the answer in a message or document you can show later.

Who meets me at the airport? A name, a phone number that works from abroad, and where they will be standing.
Where will I sleep on the first night, and after? The address, who pays for it, and whether it matches what the contract says.
Who is my contact on the first day? A named supervisor or HR contact, not just a company name.
How and when is my salary paid? Into which bank account, on which date, and in which currency. Paid to you directly, not to someone else.
Who pays for the flight, the visa and the medical? It should match your contract. If something is charged to you that the contract does not mention, ask why before you pay.
What happens if the job is not the one in my contract? Know who to call first, and keep the authority above and your specialist's details to hand.

Step 4 · When you land

Your first days.

Tell your family you have arrived, and send them the address you are staying at.
Check what you were given against your contract: job, pay, hours, housing. If they differ, tell your specialist the same day.
Keep every document you are given, and take a photo of each one.
If something is wrong, contact your specialist first, then the authority in Step 1.

Local practicalities such as phone plans, banking and transport are not covered here because we do not publish anything we have not verified. Your specialist and employer can tell you what applies to your city.

Go Deeper

Routes into Vietnam

Full pre-departure checklist · Sending money home · When your contract ends · For your family