Foreign workers can apply work permits online from October

The ministry issued Circular No.23/2017/TT-BLDTBXH on granting work permits to foreign workers via the Internet on August 15.

Accordingly, an application for work permit of a foreign worker in Vietnam must be lodged at least 20 days before the day the worker started working. 

Employers of the foreign worker must provide all required information of the worker to the competent authority and explain why the worker is needed.

The competent authority must produce a response to the application via email within 12 days since the application is lodged. It also must detail reasons for rejecting the request.

The number of foreigners working in Vietnam has increased significantly over the last ten years, the MoLISA reported.

The number increased from more than 12,600 in 2004 to more than 83,500 in 2015, the ministry has said.

Chinese workers make up 30.9 percent of Vietnam’s foreign workforce, with 25,700 people, while those from the Republic of Korea number over 15,300, Taiwanese more than 10,700 and Japanese over 7,900.

HCM City is home to the largest number of foreign workers, with more than 20,300 people, accounting for 24.3 percent, followed by neighbouring Binh Duong province with more than 12,000 people (14.4 percent), Ha Tinh 7,000 people (8.4 percent), Hanoi 6,386 people (7.6 percent) and Dong Nai 6,205 people (7.4 percent).