Highlight of Documents from May 15 - 20, 2017

1. Guidance on calculating salary and allowances according to the statutory pay rate of VND 1.3 million

On May 12, 2017, the Ministry of Home Affairs officially issued Circular 02/2017/TT-BNV providing guidance on the calculation of salary, allowances, and operational expenses for individuals working in the agencies, public service providers of the Communist Party, the State, socio-political organizations, and associations.

From July 1, 2017, the statutory pay rate of VND 1,300,000/month applies to calculate salaries, allowances, and operational expenses for officials.

To be specific:

- Salary = VND 1,300,000/month x Current salary coefficient;- Allowances = VND 1,300,000/month x Current allowance coefficient.

1. Increased per diem for officials on a business trip

Circular 40/2017/TT-BTC specifies the policies on per diem and conference expenses for state agencies and units using the state budget.

Adjustments were made to increase some expenses in the per diem policies for officials on a business trip as follows:

Increase by VND 50,000 for accommodation allowances:

- Accommodation allowances paid to individuals on a business trip: VND 200,000/day;- Accommodation allowances for duties on seas and islands: VND 250,000/person/day.

Increase by VND 100,000 for room rent payment at the place of business:

- Ministers, Deputy Ministers, and leaders with an allowance coefficient of 1.25 or higher: VND 1,000,000/day/person;- Other officials and public employees and workers on a business trip to:- Districts, cities: VND 450,000/day/person;- Counties, district-level towns: VND 350,000/day/person;- Other areas: VND 300,000/day/person.

1. New regulations on the application for a practicing pharmaceutical certificate

Decree 54/2017/ND-CP, which takes effect from July 1, 2017, details the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Pharmacy.

New regulations on forms in the application for a practicing pharmaceutical certificate are as follows:

- Application for a Practicing Pharmaceutical Certificate (Form No. 02);- Application for Re-issuance of a Practicing Pharmaceutical Certificate (Form No. 04);- Application for Adjustment of the Practicing Pharmaceutical Certificate (Form No. 05).

Applicants for the issuance, re-issuance, and adjustment of the Practicing Pharmaceutical Certificate should note the following when submitting applications:

- 2 portrait photos (4x6 cm) with a white background (taken within the last 6 months);- Health certificate issued by a competent medical facility must be an original or certified copy;- Documents issued by foreign authorities must be consularly legalized, translated into Vietnamese, and notarized as per regulations.

1. Evaluation of university quality according to new standards

Circular 12/2017/TT-BGDDT issued by the Ministry of Education and Training on May 19, 2017, stipulates the quality accreditation of higher education institutions.

From July 4, 2017, many standards and accompanying criteria to evaluate the quality of higher education institutions will increase. Specifically, the standard on training outcomes includes four criteria as follows:

- The rate of students meeting requirements and the dropout rate for all training programs and subjects/modules are established, monitored, and benchmarked for improvement;- The average graduation time for all training programs is established, monitored, and benchmarked for improvement;- Employment rate of graduates from all training programs is established, monitored, and benchmarked for improvement;- Stakeholders' satisfaction with the quality of graduates is established, monitored, and benchmarked for improvement.

1. Allowing individuals aged ≥ 18 to engage in factoring from September 30, 2017

This is a new addition to Circular 02/2017/TT-NHNN on the factoring activities of credit institutions and foreign bank branches.

Individuals classified into one of the two categories below are allowed to engage in factoring:

- Those aged 18 or above with full civil legal capacity, or;- Those aged 15 to under 18 without loss or restriction of civil legal capacity.

The factoring entity will review and decide on factoring for customers in need of factoring to use advance funds for lawful purposes and serve their production and business activities.

Circular 02/2017/TT-NHNN takes effect from September 30, 2017.

>> CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE IN VIETNAMESE