What are some types of freelance jobs? Is it possible for freelancers to participate in social insurance in Vietnam?
What are some types of freelance jobs in Vietnam?
Currently, there are still no specific regulations on freelance jobs.
A freelance job is one where a person works for themselves. A freelancer is a person who works freely, is not bound by time, location, or contract and is not subject to the management, administration, or supervision of the employer.
Accordingly, you can refer to the following freelance jobs:
- Website programming/App programming
- Designer
- Copywriter
- Marketer
- Translation translator
- Video production
...
What are some types of freelance jobs in Vietnam? (Image from the Internet)
Is it possible for freelancers to participate in social insurance in Vietnam?
Article 2 of the Law on Social Insurance 2014 stipulates that subjects paying social insurance are as follows:
Subjects of application
1. Employees being Vietnamese citizens shall be covered by compulsory social insurance, including:
a/ Persons working under indefinite-term labor contracts, definite-term labor contracts, seasonal labor contracts or contracts for given jobs with a term of between full 3 months and under 12 months, including also labor contracts signed between employers and at-law representatives of persons aged under 15 years in accordance with the labor law;
b/ Persons working under labor contracts with a term of between full 1 month and under 3 months;
c/ Cadres, civil servants and public employees;
d/ Defense workers, public security workers and persons doing other jobs in cipher organizations;
dd/ Officers and professional army men of the people's army; officers and professional non-commissioned officers and officers and technical non- commissioned officers of the people's public security; and persons engaged in cipher work and enjoying salaries like army men;
e/ Non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the people’s army; non- commissioned officers and soldiers on definite-term service in the people’s public security; army, public security and cipher cadets who are entitled to cost- of-living allowance;
g/ Vietnamese guest workers defined in the Law on Vietnamese Guest Workers;
h/ Salaried managers of enterprises and cooperatives;
i/ Part-time staffs in communes, wards and townships.
2. Employees who are foreign citizens working in Vietnam with work permits or practice certificates or practice licences granted by competent Vietnamese agencies shall be covered by compulsory social insurance under the Government’s regulations.
3. Employers covered by compulsory social insurance include state agencies, non-business units and people's armed forces units; political organizations, socio-political organizations, socio-politico-professional organizations, socio-professional organizations and other social organizations; foreign agencies and organizations, and international organizations operating in the Vietnamese territory; enterprises, cooperatives, individual business households, cooperative groups, and other organizations and individuals that hire or employ employees under labor contracts.
4. Persons covered by voluntary social insurance are Vietnamese citizens aged full 15 years or older and not defined in Clause 1 of this Article.
5. Agencies, organizations and individuals involved in social insurance.
The subjects defined in Clauses 1, 2 and 4 of this Article are below collectively referred to as employees.
According to the above regulations, there are currently 2 forms of social insurance payment:
- Compulsory social insurance payment: subjects falling under Clause 1, Article 2 of the 2014 Law on Social Insurance.
- Voluntary social insurance payment: subjects falling under Clause 4, Article 2 of the 2014 Law on Social Insurance.
Accordingly, a freelancer is a person who works freely, is not bound by a contract, and is therefore not subject to compulsory social insurance. However, freelancers can register to participate in social insurance in a voluntary form.
How do freelancers pay voluntary social insurance in Vietnam?
Clause 2, Article 87 of the 2014 Law on Social Insurance stipulates as follows:
Levels and methods of payment by employees covered by voluntary social insurance
1. Employees defined in Clause 4, Article 2 of this Law shall monthly pay an amount equivalent to 22% of their monthly incomes as selected to the retirement and survivorship allowance fund; the monthly income on which social insurance premiums are based must at least equal the poverty threshold in rural areas and must not exceed 20 times the statutory pay rate.
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2. Employees may select one of the following payment methods:
a/ Every month;
b/ Every 3 months;
c/ Every 6 months;
d/ Every 12 months;
d/ Lump-sum payment for many subsequent years at a level lower than the monthly payment or lump-sum payment for the insufficient years at a level higher than the monthly payment as specified in this Article.
3. The Government shall detail this Article.
According to the above regulations, freelancers may select one of the following payment methods:
- Every month.
- Every 3 months.
- Every 6 months.
- Every 12 months.
- Lump-sum payment for many subsequent years at a level lower than the monthly payment or lump-sum payment for the insufficient years at a level higher than the monthly payment as specified in Article 87 of the 2014 Law on Social Insurance.
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