The guide on how to obtain Work Permit to teach English in Vietnam

English is one of the mandatory subjects in the curriculum of Vietnam and the needs of Vietnamese people to learn English are also very diverse across many ages and purposes. That's why more and more foreigners come to live and teach English in Vietnam, especially in big provinces like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, etc.

Like other professions, foreign English teachers must be sponsored by a Vietnamese company, organization or individual to apply for a work permit. In this article, we will provide information about the regulations, required documents and procedures of Vietnam Work Permit applications for foreign English teachers.

1. What are the working requirements for English teachers in vietnam?

According to Labor Code 2019, 

Article 151. Requirements for foreigners to work in Vietnam.

1. A foreign employee means a person who has a foreign nationality and:

a) is at last 18 years of age and has full legal capacity; 

b) has qualifications, occupational skills, practical experience and adequate health as prescribed by the Minister of Health;

c) is not serving a sentence; does not have an unspent conviction; is not undergoing criminal prosecution under his/her home country’s law or Vietnam’s law;

d) has a work permit granted by a competent authority of Vietnam, except in the cases stipulated in Article 154 of this Labor Code.

2. The duration of a foreign employee’s employment contract must not exceed that of the work permit. When a foreign employee in Vietnam is recruited, both parties may negotiate conclusion of multiple fixed-term labor contracts.

3. Foreign employees working in Vietnam shall comply with and shall be protected by the labor law of Vietnam, unless otherwise prescribed by treaties to which Vietnam is a signatory.

2. What is the process of getting a Vietnam Work Permit to teach English?

Step 1: Employer sends the request for acceptance of hiring foreign employee to the authorities in charge.

- At least 30 days before the official employment of foreign teachers, an employer has to submit a request online to the authorities to get approval. 

Official online address: http://dvc.vieclamvietnam.gov.vn 

- The processing time would be approximately 12 days after reception of the application and scanned Form of Explanation for the demand to hire foreign employees.

- Once the application is approved, the employer sends the original documents to the authorities including Form of Explanation for the demand of hiring foreign employee in accordance with Circular 40/2016/TT-BLDTBXH. 

- Employer can obtain written Approval for employing foreign workers directly or by post within 8 working days upon receipt of all necessary documents.

Step 2: Employer applies for Work Permit for English teachers

They can choose to do it either offline or online.

Method 1: Follow the steps below to submit directly.

• Usually, submit the prepared documents to the Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs. 

• Please check whether the documents submitted are sufficient and valid and fill in any missing documents if necessary. 

• Obtain the work permit within 7 business days after submitting all valid and required documents.  

Method 2: Submit your documents online. 

This entire process will take approximately 5 business days. 

• This option requires employers and their agents to: Visit http://dvc.vieclamvietnam.gov.vn and submit scans of the required documents. 

• Check whether the documents submitted are sufficient and valid and fill in any missing documents. 

• Get your work permit via email. 

• You can submit the original documents you have created to the authorities to obtain the original work permit.

3. Exempted cases for Vietnam Work Permit

Foreign nationals coming to Vietnam for employment are obligated to obtain a work permit, except in the following circumstances:

• Foreigners engaged in work within Vietnam for a period not exceeding 03 months.

• Foreigners serving as members of a limited liability company with two or more members.

• Foreign individuals who own a limited liability company with one member (excluding an authorized representative).

• Foreigners holding positions as members of the Board of Directors in a joint-stock company.

• Foreign workers entering Vietnam to provide services.

• Foreigners arriving in Vietnam for a duration of 03 months to address urgent matters such as incidents, technical situations, or complex technologies that have an impact or are likely to affect production and business, and cannot be handled by Vietnamese or current foreign experts in Vietnam. If the duration for such matters exceeds 03 months, a work permit must be applied for.

That’s all we need to know about the Vietnam Work Permit for English teachers! We hope you can take away something useful from this article and apply successfully for a Vietnam Work Permit!