Applying for a work permit in Hanoi means following specific steps, preparing certain documents, and meeting deadlines that all foreign workers need to know about. Foreign workers must meet four main requirements: they must be at least 18 years old, be healthy, have no criminal record, and have the right qualifications and experience for their job. The process has four main steps.
First, employers need to ask for permission to hire foreign workers 30 days before the job starts. Second, they must gather all necessary papers like application forms, health certificates, police checks, and proof of education and work experience. Third, they need to submit all these documents at least 15 days before the foreign worker starts working. Fourth, after reviewing all documents, officials will issue the work permit within 5 working days. The whole process for obtaining a work permit in Hanoi usually takes about 45 working days from start to finish. In Hanoi, the fee is 400.000 VND, which the employer must pay.
Once issued, the work permit allows foreigners to work legally in Vietnam for up to 2 years, and it can be renewed once. It’s important to plan and pay close attention to details, especially for document translation and legalization. This guide explains the complete work permit application procedure in Hanoi to help both companies and foreign workers understand what to do.
>> Read more: Work permit service for foreign workers if you need professional assistance with your application.
Let VisaNow handle your application from start to finish with our proven success rate and expert knowledge of local requirements.
Requirements for work permit application in Hanoi
Before you can apply for a work permit in Hanoi, you must meet these four main requirements:
- Be at least 18 years old with full legal capacity
- Have the right qualifications, skills, work experience, and good health as required by Vietnam’s health rules
- Not serving a criminal sentence or under investigation for a crime in any country
- Fit into one of these job categories:
- Experts
- Managers
- Executive Directors
- Technical Workers
Experts must have one of these:
- A bachelor’s degree or higher, plus at least 3 years of related work experience
- At least 5 years of experience with a professional certificate
- Special approval from the Prime Minister
Managers must be:
- Company managers as defined in Vietnam’s business laws
- Leaders or deputy leaders of organizations
Executive Directors must be:
- Heads of company branches, representative offices, or business locations
- Leaders who directly manage at least one department
Technical Workers must have:
- At least 1 year of training and 3 years of related experience
- Or at least 5 years of experience in a similar job
>> To better understand what’s required for proving your work history, check out our guide on employment experience certificates.
Our experts will assess your eligibility and guide you through the requirements.
Documents required for a work permit in Hanoi
- Documents for Vietnamese labor recruitment registration
- Documents for approval of foreign labor use
- Documents for work permit application
- A letter asking for permission to recruit
- Business registration certificate
- Company information including: list of staff, contact details, number of local and foreign workers, number of employees with social insurance, office rental agreement
- Foreign worker information:
- Passport copy
- Additional documents based on position:
- For experts: university degree and proof of 3+ years of experience
- For technical workers: training certificate (at least 1 year) and 3 years of experience, or proof of 5 years of experience
- For managers/directors: investment certificate, company charter, establishment license, appointment decision
- Certified copy of business registration
- Application letter for foreign labor use, which can be:
- For first-time applications, you’ll need to complete a registration form for the need to use foreigners (Form No.01/PLI)
- If your company’s foreign labor needs have changed, you’ll need to submit an explanation of changes in the need to use foreign workers (Form No.01/PLI)
- Introduction letter/authorization letter (if someone other than the legal representative submits the application)
- Work permit application form (Form 11/PLI)
- Health certificate (valid for 12 months)
>> All foreign workers must undergo a health check for a work permit in Vietnam
- Criminal record certificate (valid for 6 months)
- Two 4×6 cm photos with white background (taken within 6 months, no glasses)
- Certified passport copy
- You must include the official letter of approval for employment of foreign workers from the previous step
- Certified copies of documents proving the foreign worker’s qualifications, with a Vietnamese translation
- All documents must be submitted together as one complete set
4-step process for obtaining a work permit in Hanoi
Getting a work permit in Hanoi involves four main steps. You must complete each step in order. Each step needs specific documents and takes a certain amount of time.
Step 1. Announcing Vietnamese labor recruitment
You must post your job announcement on:
You must post the job at least 15 days before submitting your explanation report. The announcement must include:
- The job title and position
- What the job involves
- How many positions are you filling
- What qualifications and experience do you require
- The salary
- Where and when the work will take place
After trying to recruit Vietnamese workers and not finding suitable candidates, you can move to the next step of hiring foreign workers.
Step 2. Explaining and requesting approval for foreign labor
Employers (except contractors) must prepare documents explaining why they need foreign workers and submit them:
- Online through Hanoi’s Public Service Portal, or
- In person at the Hanoi Department of Internal Affairs
You must submit these documents at least 30 days before you plan to employ foreign workers.
If you submit documents online, you must also submit the original documents to the Department of Internal Affairs or the Hanoi People’s Committee on the same day or soon after.
Officials will process your request in 10 business days.
After you receive approval to use foreign labor, include this original document in your work permit application package.
Step 3. Submitting a work permit application
You must submit the work permit application:
- At least 15 days before the foreign worker plans to start work
- Either online or in person
| How to Submit | Where to Submit | Address | |
| In person | For foreign workers outside industrial zones | Hanoi Department of Internal Affairs | 18 Le Thanh Tong Street, Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi |
| For foreign workers in industrial zones | Hanoi Industrial and Export Processing Zones Authority (HIZA) | 7-floor Building, CC02, Mo Lao Urban Area, Mo Lao Ward, Ha Dong, Hanoi | |
| Online | Hanoi People’s Committee Online Public Service Portal | https://dichvucong.hanoi.gov.vn/ | |
If your application is incomplete, officials will tell you what else you need to provide.
Processing takes 5 business days after they receive all required documents.
Step 4. Receiving the work permit
Within 5 business days after receiving complete documents, the Department of Internal Affairs will issue a work permit for the foreign worker. If they reject your application, they will explain why in writing.
Important note: After getting the work permit, employers must:
- Sign an employment contract
- Pay for health and social insurance
- Report on foreign worker employment as required
- Consider applying for a temporary residence card (valid for up to 2 years)
Let our specialists handle each step while you focus on your business.
- Step-by-step guidance
- Complete document preparation
- Timely submissions
- Regular status updates
Processing time for work permits in Hanoi
The complete process for applying for work permits in Hanoi usually takes 35-45 business days, broken down like this:
- Vietnamese labor recruitment registration: 17-19 business days
- Getting approval for foreign labor use: 12-15 business days
- Submitting and processing work permit application: 7-10 business days
The process may take longer if you need to fix or add more documents.
Work permit fees in Hanoi 2025
Here are the current fees for work permits in Hanoi:
| Type of Procedure | Fee | Legal Basis |
| New work permit | 600.000 VND per permit | Resolution No. 06/2021/NQ-HDND |
| Re-issuing a work permit | 300.000 VND per permit | Resolution No. 06/2021/NQ-HDND |
| Extending a work permit | 450.000 VND per permit(250,000 VND when submitted online) | Resolution No. 06/2021/NQ-HDND |
Besides these official fees, employers should also budget for:
- Medical examination fees (depends on the hospital)
- Criminal record certificate fees
- Translation and certification costs
- Consular legalization fees for foreign documents, like degrees
- Service fees if you hire a consultant to help with the application
>> Read more: For a detailed breakdown of all costs involved, check our comprehensive guide on Vietnam work permit fee.
Note: By law, employers must pay the work permit fees for their foreign employees.
VisaNow’s work permit services in Hanoi
With over 6 years of experience, VisaNow has helped more than 1.000 businesses every year with work permits for foreigners. When you use our services, your business will get:
- Detailed advice on the right work permit services for your situation, including:
- New work permit applications
- Work permit exemption applications
- Work permit re-issuance
- Work permit extensions
- Our experienced team is available 24/7 to answer all your questions and process your applications quickly
- We provide work permit services for foreigners from any country: South Korea, China, Taiwan, Japan, the USA, European countries, and more
- VisaNow helps businesses in many sectors, including import-export, foreign-invested companies, international schools, and more in Hanoi
- We guarantee no hidden costs and tell you the total price upfront
- We can provide VAT invoices if you need them
Contact us today to see how we can make your work permit application in Hanoi easier and faster.
