HANOI – The Vietnamese government has recently released a new Circular on the procedures a foreign worker must adhere to in order to be considered for a work permit. Circular 03/2014 tightens the regulations for foreign workers seeking to come to Vietnam.
The Circular will take effect on March 10, 2014 and is intended to help guide the implementation of the proposed Government Decree 102/2013.
It appears that the new regulations are intended to help Vietnam’s government reduce the country’s unemployment level by managing the employment of foreign workers more efficiently. However, it remains to be seen what impact the new laws will have on the wider economy. Foreign workers and foreign investment are playing an increasingly larger role in Vietnam’s economy and any move that seems to discriminate against foreigners could have the unintended effect of driving these people, and their money, to nearby countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines.
