Updated Vietnamese work permit certificate procedures for Koreans in Vietnam

Getting a work permit for Korean nationals in Vietnam means following specific steps and preparing the right documents. This guide explains everything you need to know about work permits for Korean workers in Vietnam. We cover who needs one, what documents to prepare, and how to get yours without problems. The information follows the newest rules from Decree 219/2025/ND-CP.

Requirements for Vietnam work permit for Korean citizen

• Be at least 18 years old and mentally capable
• Have the right training, skills, and health for your job
• Have no criminal record or ongoing criminal cases
• Your Korean worker must fit into one of these four job types (from Decree 219/2025/ND-CP):
  • Manager:
    • Someone who manages a company (based on Enterprise Law)
    • Or the head person or deputy head of an organization
  • Executive director:
    • Person in charge of a branch, office, or business location
    • Person who runs a specific area of the company
    • Must have at least 3 years of experience in the right field
  • Expert:
    • Has a university degree or higher and at least 2 years of experience
    • Or has a university degree and at least 1 year of experience if working in priority fields (finance, science, technology, innovation, digital transformation)
  • Technical worker:
    • Trained for at least 1 year and has at least 2 years of experience
    • Or has at least 3 years of experience in the right field

>> Important note: Decree 219/2025/ND-CP now says executive directors must have at least 3 years of experience. This is different from the old Decree 152/2020/ND-CP.

Making sure you choose the right job type and prepare all the right papers is really important for your application to succeed. Next, we will look at what documents you need to prepare.

Documents needed for Vietnam work permit for Korean citizen

Based on Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, here are the papers you need for a Korean worker’s work permit:

• Report explaining why you need foreign workers and requesting the work permit (Form 03)
• Scanned copy of passport (valid for at least 6 months)
• Criminal record check or confirmation paper (valid for 6 months)
• 2 color photos 4x6cm, white background, looking straight, head bare
• Health check paper from an approved medical center (valid for 12 months)
• Introduction letter or power of attorney (if the person submitting is not the legal representative)
• Documents based on job position:
  • Manager: Company charter, appointment document, business registration certificate
  • Executive director: Branch/office registration certificate, document confirming 3 years of experience
  • Expert: University degree or higher, document confirming 2 years of experience (or 1 year if in priority fields)
  • Technical worker: 1-year training certificate and 2 years of experience confirmation, or 3 years of experience confirmation

>> Important note about document legalization: Work experience confirmation papers from Korea must be verified by the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs before you submit them in Vietnam. However, some official Korean university degrees can be legalized directly in Vietnam, which saves time and money.

After you prepare all the documents, you need to follow the correct steps required by law. The next part will guide you through each step.

Work permit application procedure for Koreans

The process to get a work permit for Korean workers has 3 main steps according to Decree 219/2025/ND-CP. Understanding each step will help you stay in control and avoid mistakes.

Step 1. Post job announcement for Vietnamese workers

Before you submit the work permit application, your company must post a job announcement looking for Vietnamese workers for the position. This is required to show you could not find suitable Vietnamese workers.

Timeline:

• At least 05 working days before submitting the work permit application
• Much shorter than the old 15-day rule from Decree 152/2020/ND-CP

Where to post the announcement:

• National Public Service Portal: dichvucong.gov.vn
• Or the provincial Employment Service Center website

What to include in the announcement:

• Job position and title
• Detailed job description and number of workers needed
• Education and experience requirements
• Salary, working hours, and location
• Other requirements about work type and contract length

>> Note: If you are applying for a work permit through internal company transfer or the worker is exempt from needing a work permit, you do not need to do this step.

After posting the job announcement and not finding suitable Vietnamese workers, your company will move to the next step.

Step 2. Submit work permit application (includes explanation of need for foreign workers)

Decree 219/2025/ND-CP has made things simpler by combining the explanation of need and work permit request into one application. This important change makes the process faster than before.

When to submit: Between 60 days and at least 10 days before your Korean worker plans to start working

How to submit:

• Submit online through the National Public Service Portal (dichvucong.gov.vn)
• Procedure code: 194248 or 9151
• Search for “work permit for foreign workers”

What to do:

• Create a business account on the Public Service Portal
• Upload digital documents including Form 03 and supporting papers
• Sign digitally and submit online
• The system automatically connects with the police to get the criminal record check (if you choose this option)

Review time:

• 10 working days after receiving complete documents
• The authority will review your need and issue the work permit at the same time
• If rejected, they will explain why in writing within 03 working days

>> Note about criminal record checks: You can let the system automatically get the criminal record check, or you can get it yourself first. VisaNow recommends getting it yourself first to have more control over timing. Korean workers living in Vietnam can get it from the provincial police where they registered their temporary residence – this takes about 3 weeks.

After successfully submitting your application, you need to track it and prepare to receive the result as explained in the next step.

Step 3. Receive the work permit result

The final step is receiving the work permit result after the authority finishes reviewing your application. You need to know how to receive the result to complete everything correctly.

How to receive the result:

• Online result through the National Public Service Portal (digital result in Form 04)
• Or pick up directly at the work permit office
• Can use public postal service to receive the result

Work permit validity:

• Maximum 2 years, based on the employment contract or assignment document
• Can be extended once for maximum 2 years
• After the extension expires, need to apply for a new permit if you want to continue

If you need to add more documents:

• The authority will notify you within 03 days if something is missing or needs adding
• Your company adds documents online or directly as instructed
• Processing time restarts from when they receive complete documents

After receiving the work permit:

• Sign the employment contract with your Korean worker before the start date
• Send a copy of the employment contract to the issuing office (if requested)
• If working in multiple provinces, notify the authority 03 days in advance

>> Note: If you need to reissue the work permit because it was lost or damaged, processing time is 05 working days according to Article 23 of Decree 219/2025/ND-CP.

Knowing the process is just the first step. Understanding and applying practical experience will help you avoid many risks during the process.

Processing time for Vietnam work permit for Korean citizen

According to Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, the official work permit processing time is 10 working days from receiving complete documents. However, the actual time to complete the whole process usually takes longer because there are many steps.

Compared to the old decree: Decree 219/2025/ND-CP has significantly shortened the time compared to Decree 152/2020/ND-CP, from 9-12 weeks down to 4-6 weeks by simplifying the process and reducing recruitment posting time from 15 days to 5 days.

The actual time might take longer if these problems happen:

• Documents need adding or fixing as requested by the authority
• Papers from Korea need more time for legalization
• Peak times when the office is processing many applications at once
• Worker needs to get criminal record check from Korea instead of Vietnam

To make sure your Korean worker can start working on time, you should start preparing documents at least 2 months in advance. Besides time, fees are also something many businesses care about.

Costs for Vietnam work permit for Korean citizen

The fee for a new work permit for Korean citizens is 600,000 VND according to general rules, but this fee can be different in each province/city as decided by the local People’s Council. Some places might charge from 400,000 VND to 1,000,000 VND per permit.

Besides the official fee, you need to estimate these additional costs:

• Health check cost: 1,500,000 – 3,000,000 VND depending on the medical center
• Criminal record check cost: 200,000 VND if done in Vietnam, or cost in Korea plus legalization fee
• Translation and notarization cost: Depends on how many documents need translating
• Consular legalization cost: For documents from Korea (if not exempt)
• Transportation cost: Depends on distance and transportation method

>> Note: The list of hospitals approved by the Health Ministry for health checks usually have different fees. You should check first to choose what fits your needs and budget.

To help you understand common issues better, the next part will answer the most frequently asked questions.

Questions about Vietnam work permit for Korean citizen

VisaNow services for Vietnam work permit for Korean citizen

VisaNow is proud to be a leading provider of work permit services for Korean citizens in Vietnam with over 10 years of experience. We have successfully helped more than 1,000 businesses every year get work permits for foreign workers from many different countries, including Korean citizens.

This article has provided complete information about requirements, documents, procedures, and important notes for getting work permits for Korean citizens according to Decree 219/2025/ND-CP. If your business needs help getting work permits for Korean citizens, do not hesitate to contact VisaNow now at +84 94 367 6226 for detailed consultation and the most accurate quotes.