Requirements for foreign seafarers working onboard Vietnamese-flagged ships

According to Circular No. 17/2017/TT-BGTVT of the Ministry of Transport of Vietnam, requirements for foreign seafarers working onboard Vietnamese-flagged ships include:

General requirements: A foreign seafarer must:

- meet all standards of seafarer’s health and working age under prevailing regulations;

- possess a working permit granted by a competent authority of Vietnam, except for exemption cases as regulated by the labor law;

- have a seafarer’s employee agreement signed in accordance with regulations of the law of Vietnam and in conformity with the Maritime Labour Convention in 2006 by the International Labour Organization;

- have a passport issued by the competent authority of the seafarer’s State of nationality;

- have his name specified in the register of seafarers;

- be assigned to hold a position onboard a ship.

Professional requirements: A foreign seafarer working onboard a Vietnamese-flagged ship must possess a Certificate of professional competence issued by the competent authority of Vietnam or of the State or the territory that has entered into an agreement with Vietnam on recognition of certificates of professional competence issued by the competent authority of such State or territory. If a foreign seafarer possesses a Certificate of professional competence issued by the competent authority of the State or the territory that has entered into an agreement with Vietnam on recognition of certificates of professional competence issued by the competent authority of such State or territory, he must obtain an endorsement attesting the recognition of Certificate of professional competence.

In particular, foreign seafarers who undergo practical training onboard Vietnamese-flagged ships must satisfy all of requirements specified above and possess Certificate of professional training issued by the competent authority of Vietnam or the competent authority of the State or the territory that has entered into an agreement with Vietnam on recognition of certificates of professional competence issued by the competent authority of such State or territory in conformity with the type of practicing ship.

View details at Circular No. 17/2017/TT-BGTVT of the Ministry of Transport of Vietnam, effective from July 15, 2017.

-Thao Uyen-

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