Do International Students Studying and Working in Vietnam Need to Apply for a Work Permit?

Clause 8, Article 172 of the Labor Code 2012 stipulates that Foreign citizens working in Vietnam are not subject to the issuance of work permits when:

They are students studying in Vietnam and working in Vietnam, but the employer must notify the provincial state labor management agency 07 days in advance.

Thus, currently, if your friend is an American student studying in Vietnam and working in Vietnam, they do not need to apply for a work permit. In this case, the company hiring this person must notify the provincial state labor management agency 07 days in advance.

However, it should be noted that from January 1, 2021, when the Labor Code 2019 comes into effect, this regulation will be abolished. Article 154 of the Labor Code 2019 no longer stipulates this case. By this time, your friend must have a work permit while simultaneously studying and working in Vietnam.

Sincerely!