Decree No. 115/2020/NĐ-CP: Procedures for admission of public employees in Vietnam

1. Cases eligible to apply for public employee recruitment

The recruitment of public employees is based on job demands, job positions, professional title standards and salary fund of public non-business units. Subjects who fully meet the conditions under Article 22 of the Law on Public Employees 2010, amended and supplemented in 2019 of Vietnam can register to apply for public employees, including:

- Bearing Vietnamese citizenship and residing in Vietnam:

- Reaching full 18 years of age. For a number of areas of cultural activity, arts. physical training and spoils, the age eligible for recruitment may be lower as provided by law with written consent of at-law representatives:

- Filing an application for recruitment:

- Having a clear personal background;

- Possessing diplomas, training certificates or practice certificates or aptitude and skills relevant to the working position for which he/she applies:

- Being physically fit for work or tasks;

- Meeting other conditions required by the working position for which he/she applies and determined by the public non-business unit, which must not be contrary to law.

In particular, the following persons may not register for public employee recruitment: Having lost civil act capacity or having such capacity restricted; Being examined for penal liability; currently serving a criminal sentence or ruling of the court or serving the administrative measure of confinement to a medical treatment establishment, an educational institution or a reformatory.

2. Procedures for public employee recruitment

According to Article 11 and 12 of the Decree No. 115/2020/NĐ-CP of Vietnam’s Government, recruitment of public employees is carried out according to the following process:

Step 1: Check the eligibility criteria

This is the first round of two rounds in recruiting public employees in the form of recruitment. The recruitment unit will check the eligibility requirements at the Application Form according to the requirements of the job position to be recruited, if satisfied, the candidate can participate in round 2.

Step 2: Take the specialized professional exam

Based on the nature, characteristics and requirements of the job position to be recruited, the head of the agency or unit competent to recruit decides that the second round will be conducted in one of three forms: Interview; practice; writing exam.

It is noted that the content of the specialized professional exam must be based on the tasks and standards of professional capacity of the public employee's professional title and must match the requirements of the job position to be recruited. In particular, the time used for admission depends on each form, which is regulated as follows:

- Interview: 30 minutes;

- Written exam: 180 minutes;

- Practical exam: the exam time is decided by the head of the agency or unit competent to recruit.

In case the agency competent to manage public employees has higher requirements on the content, form and time of the exam in round 2, it shall reach agreement with the Ministry of Home Affairs of Vietnam before implementation.

Step 3: Determine the successful candidate

To determine the successful candidate, it should be noted that the second round score is calculated on a 100-point scale. The successful candidate in the public employee recruitment exam must meet the following conditions:

- Having a test score in round 2 of 50 points or more;

- Having a higher score in round 2 plus priority points specified in Article 6 of Decree No. 115/2020/NĐ-CP (if any) is taken in order of points from highest to lowest in the recruitment criteria of each job position.

In case there are 2 or more people with the same total score (including round 2 and priority points) in the final criterion of the job position to be recruited, the person with the higher score in the 2nd round is the recruited; if still unable to identify, the head of the agency or unit competent to recruit public employees shall decide on the successful candidate.

Note: Those who do not pass the entrance exam are not allowed to reserve their admission results for the next exams.

Above are the current recruitment process and procedures. In addition, candidates for public employee recruitment should also see Circular No. 6/2020/TT-BNV of the Ministry of Home Affairs of Vietnam on Regulations on organization of recruitment exams, admissions of officials and public employees, exams for promotion of officials, exams or consideration for promotion of professional titles of public employees; regulations on recruitment examination, admission consideration for officials and public employees, officials rank promotion exam, examination or consideration for promotion of public employee professional title.

Hoa Hong

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