Definite and indefinite terms
Labour contracts are definite-term or indefinite-term. A definite-term contract has a maximum length; repeated definite-term hiring for the same ongoing role is how conversion disputes start.
Countries/Vietnam/Hiring guide
Southeast Asia · Hiring guide · 2026
Hiring in Vietnam: labour law and payroll
This page is the labour-law and payroll stack for multinational employers hiring in Vietnam. It is not a salary survey.
In-country employment is how you run this stack without a Vietnamese company.
To hire without incorporating first, use in-country employment in Vietnam.
Contracts
Contracts and probation
Probation
Probation is optional and capped: up to 180 days for some managerial and professional roles, shorter for other work. Pay during probation cannot fall below 85% of the contractual wage. A second probation for the same job is not a reset.
Language and form
The labour contract must be in writing (electronic form is allowed). Vietnamese is the safe language of record even if you also issue an English version.
Hours
Working time and overtime
Ordinary hours
Normal hours are generally 8 a day and 48 a week. A 40-hour week is encouraged, not universally mandated, for every private employer.
Overtime premiums and caps
At least 150% on weekdays, 200% on weekly rest, 300% on public holidays and paid leave days. Monthly overtime is capped (generally 40 hours) and annual overtime is capped (generally 200 hours, 300 in listed cases).
Night work
Night hours attract an extra premium on top of the overtime multiple when both apply. Plant rosters have to account for both.
Wage floor
Minimum wage, 2026
Decree 293/2025/ND-CP sets four regional monthly (and hourly) floors from 1 January 2026. The region follows the employer's place of operation.
| Rule | Figure |
|---|---|
| Region I | VND 5,310,000 / month · VND 25,500 / hour |
| Region II | VND 4,730,000 / month · VND 22,700 / hour |
| Region III | VND 4,140,000 / month · VND 20,000 / hour |
| Region IV | VND 3,700,000 / month · VND 17,800 / hour |
Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Hai Phong, and other listed urban localities are Region I. Vocationally trained employees are entitled to at least 7% above the regional floor for the job they hold. Contribution salaries for social and health insurance are separately capped.
Exit
Terminating and offboarding
Statutory grounds
You terminate for the reasons in the Labour Code — agreement, notice on an indefinite contract, definite-term expiry, employee fault, or specified operational reasons — not because the project 'ended' in a slide deck.
Notice
Notice periods depend on contract type and, for some roles, a longer statutory period. Payment in lieu is not always a substitute without agreement.
Allowances on exit
Severance (or job-loss allowance, depending on the ground and unemployment-insurance coverage) must be calculated on the statutory formula. Unused leave is paid out.
Questions
FAQ
- What is Vietnam's minimum wage in 2026?
- Region I VND 5,310,000 a month, Region II 4,730,000, Region III 4,140,000, Region IV 3,700,000, from 1 January 2026 under Decree 293/2025/ND-CP. Use the employer's locality, not the employee's hometown.
- What are Vietnam overtime limits?
- Premiums of 150% / 200% / 300% on weekday / rest day / holiday work, with monthly and annual hour caps under the Labour Code. A plant that 'always does OT' still has a legal ceiling.
- How long is probation?
- Up to 180 days for certain managers and professionals; shorter maxima for other roles. Probation pay is at least 85% of the contractual wage.
- Is Tet bonus required by law?
- Not as a single 13th-month statute. It is customary, and it becomes payable if the contract or a consistent practice creates the entitlement. Write the rule you will follow.
Other markets
Other hiring guide pages
Reviewed 11 September 2026
This is a hiring briefing for multinational employers, not legal advice. Statutory rates move by city, province, and sector. Confirm the place of work before you issue an offer.
Sources
- Labour Code No. 45/2019/QH14
- Decree 293/2025/ND-CP — regional minimum wages from 1 January 2026
- Vietnam Social Security — contribution rates and caps
Hire in Vietnam
Tell us the city, the role, and whether this is a local contract or a search.