Vietnam work permit for Japanese citizens: A complete guide

Getting a work permit for Japanese citizens in Vietnam is an important step if you want to work legally in the country. This guide explains everything you need to know about the process, from basic requirements to getting your permit. We will walk you through each step in simple terms. VisaNow can help make this process easier for you.

Japanese citizen work permit requirements in Vietnam

To get a work permit in Vietnam, you must meet these basic conditions:

• Be at least 18 years old and able to make your own decisions
• Be healthy enough to do your job
• Have no criminal record and not be in prison
• Work in one of these positions: manager, executive director, expert, or technical worker

>> The new Decree 219/2025/ND-CP made things easier. Now experts in priority fields only need 1 year of experience instead of 2 years. Executive directors must show they have at least 3 years of experience.

>> To properly document your professional history, you’ll need relevant work experience certificates that prove your qualifications for working in Vietnam.

Documents for Vietnam work permit for Japanese citizen

You will need to prepare these documents to apply:

• Report form explaining why you need to hire a foreign worker (Form 03)
• Criminal record check or letter saying you have not been in prison (must be less than 6 months old)
• Two color photos, size 4x6cm, white background, taken within the last 6 months
• Copy of your passport (must be valid for at least 6 more months)
• Health check certificate from a hospital (must be less than 12 months old)
• Extra documents based on your job position:

>> Important notes: Documents from Japan must go through special steps. First, the Japanese Foreign Ministry must verify them. Then you need to translate them to Vietnamese and get them certified in Vietnam. Some documents may be exempt from this if there is an international agreement.

How to get a work permit for Japanese citizens in Vietnam?

The new Decree 219/2025/ND-CP simplified the process. Now there are only 3 steps instead of 4.

Step 1. Post a job notice for Vietnamese workers

Before you apply for a work permit, you must post a job opening for Vietnamese workers.

• At least 5 working days before you apply for the work permit. This is much shorter than the old rule of 15 days.
• Online at the National Public Service Portal or your local Employment Service Center website.
• What to include in the job posting:
  • Job title and position
  • What the job involves
  • How many people you need
  • Skills and experience needed
  • Salary and working hours
  • Where the job is located
• If you cannot find a suitable Vietnamese worker after 5 days, you write the reason in Form 03.

You do not need to do this step if the Japanese worker is transferring within your company.

Step 2: Send your application online

This is the biggest change in the new rules. Now you only need to send one application instead of two separate ones.

When to send: Between 60 days and 10 days before the Japanese worker will start the job.

Where to send: Through the National Public Service Portal (dichvucong.gov.vn), procedure code 194248 or 9151.

How to do it:

• Create a company account on the portal
• Upload Form 03 and all your documents
• Sign digitally and send everything online
• The system will automatically check with the police for the criminal record

How long it takes: 10 working days after they receive all your documents. This is much faster than before.

If they say no: They will send you a letter explaining why within 3 working days.

>> A helpful tip: The new decree lets the system get the criminal record automatically. However, this takes 3 weeks. It is better to get the criminal record yourself first. This way, your whole application only takes 10 days instead of 3 weeks.

Step 3. Get your work permit

After your application is approved, you can get your permit.

• How you get it:
  • Download it online from the National Public Service Portal
  • Or pick it up at the government office
  • Or have it mailed to you
• How long it lasts: Up to 2 years, depending on your work contract.
• After you get it:
  • Sign a work contract with the Japanese worker before they start
  • Send a copy of the contract to the government if they ask
  • Tell the government 3 days before if the worker will work in different provinces

If you lose your work permit or it gets damaged, you can get a new one in just 5 working days.

Important tips for getting a work permit for Japanese citizens

After helping thousands of businesses, we have learned some important things you should know.

• About health checks: Your health certificate must be perfect. The government will not accept it if there are mistakes or handwritten corrections. Make sure:
  • All information is correct
  • The doctor signed it and you signed it (your signature must match your passport)
  • Nothing is missing
  • The hospital wrote “Fit for work” at the end

>> Decree 219/2025/ND-CP says you can use a health certificate from a Japanese hospital if there is an agreement between the two countries. However, no official list of approved hospitals exists yet. It is safer to get your health check done in Vietnam.

• About legalizing documents:
  • Some Japanese university degrees can be legalized directly in Vietnam through the Japanese Embassy
  • Work experience letters must be verified by the Japanese Foreign Ministry first
  • Criminal records can be legalized in Vietnam, which makes things easier
• About visas: Japanese citizens can enter Vietnam without a visa for up to 45 days. However, to work in Vietnam, you need to change this to a work visa. This step needs help from a professional service.
• About the review office: According to Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, the Provincial People’s Committee has authority to review applications. However, right now, they have given this job to the Department of Internal Affairs. This means:
  • All documents must be sent online through the National Public Service Portal
  • The review time starts when the Department of Internal Affairs officially receives your documents, not when you upload them
  • You need to prepare documents carefully to avoid delays
• About Form 03: The new decree made this easier. Instead of filling out many separate forms, everything now goes into one form called Form 03. This helps you:
  • Complete the process faster
  • Prepare fewer documents
  • Save time and effort
  • Keep everything organized
• About names on documents: Vietnam accepts names in international format. Your name can be:
  • First name then last name
  • Or last name then first name

>> Make sure:

• Your name has no special characters
• It is the same on all documents (passport, degree, criminal record, work experience letter)
• If names do not match, you need a sworn statement of identity

How long Vietnam work permit for Japanese citizen takes?

It take 10 working days to get a work permit for Japanese citizens in Vietnam if your documents are complete and correct.

>> Remember: The 10-day countdown starts when the government office officially receives your complete documents, not when you upload them to the portal. If you prepare everything correctly from the start, you will save time and avoid extra costs.

How much does a Vietnam work permit for Japanese citizens cost?

The government fee ranges from VND 600,000 to VND 1,000,000, depending on which province you apply in. This fee has not changed from Decree 152/2020/ND-CP.

Other costs you might have:

• Translating documents from Japanese to Vietnamese
• Legalizing documents in Japan or Vietnam
• Health check at approved hospitals (VND 1,500,000 to VND 3,000,000)
• Criminal record check: VND 200,000 if done in Vietnam (takes 30 working days)
• Service fees if you use a visa company

>> Note about health certificates: Make sure the Japanese worker gets their health check at a hospital approved by the Department of Internal Affairs. This prevents your application from being rejected. VisaNow can provide a list of trusted hospitals accepted in each province.

Frequently asked questions about work permits for Japanese people

VisaNow work permit services for Japanese citizens in Vietnam

VisaNow has over 10 years of experience helping businesses get work permits for foreign workers. We have helped more than 1,000 companies every year. We understand that even though Decree 219/2025/ND-CP made things simpler, the process still needs deep knowledge of the rules and practical experience.

We are committed to supporting and working with your business through the process of getting work permits for Japanese employees.

• Clear and transparent process with open pricing and no hidden costs
• Expert team with experience successfully processing hundreds of work permit applications, helping businesses save time and effort
• Detailed guidance from document preparation to submitting the work permit application for Japanese citizens, ensuring compliance with current laws

Special service: Accurate advice on work fields according to the 242 job categories level 3 in Vietnam under Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, ensuring your documents meet the correct requirements for technical worker positions.

This guide covered everything you need to know about getting a work permit for Japanese citizens in Vietnam. If you are looking for a trusted work permit service for Japanese citizens, contact VisaNow now at +84 94 367 6226.