Key Takeaways From Vietnam's Decree 70 On Foreign Workers

On September 18, 2023, the Vietnamese government issued Decree No. 70/2023/ND-CP ("Decree 70") amending and supplementing certain provisions of Decree No. 152/2020/ND-CP ("Decree 152"), which regulates foreign workers working in Vietnam and the recruitment and management of Vietnamese workers working for foreign entities in Vietnam. While Decree 70 relaxes some conditions relating to foreign workers, the general goal of protecting and prioritizing domestic labor over foreign labor remains. The major changes introduced in Decree 70 are summarized below.

1. Amended Definitions and Requirements for Worker Classifications

Decree 70 introduces several changes to the requirements for foreign workers to be classified as "experts" and "technical workers." Under Decree 152, foreign workers needed to hold bachelor's degrees or receive training directly related to their intended job positions in Vietnam. However, under Decree 70, experts are only required to have a