Your Vietnam Work Permit Is Expiring. What Should You Do?

• Your employment contract is continuing.
• Your employer still wants you to stay.
• You are already working legally in Vietnam.

Then HR sends you a message: “Your Work Permit expires soon. We need to renew it.”

At first, this sounds like a routine administrative procedure. But timing matters.

Under the current rules, Work Permit renewal in Vietnam is subject to a specific filing window. The employer must submit the renewal application at least 10 days but no more than 45 days before the Work Permit expires. The competent authority then has 10 working days from receipt of a complete application to consider and process the renewal.

So if your Work Permit expires in two weeks, this is not something you should leave until the final day.

Quick Answer: Can You Renew a Vietnam Work Permit?

Yes, eligible foreign workers can have their Work Permit renewed under Vietnam’s current regulations. However, renewal is not simply an automatic extension of the existing permit.

Under Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, which took effect on August 7, 2025, the renewal procedure is governed by a specific application and timing framework.

The renewed Work Permit can be issued for a period based on the applicable underlying document or arrangement, but the renewal itself is limited to one time and has a maximum duration of two years. This means employers and foreign workers should think beyond the expiry date.

They should plan the next immigration and employment step before the existing Work Permit runs out.

1. When Should You Start the Renewal?

This is probably the most important date to remember.

The 10–45 Day Window: Work Permit Expiry – 10 days → Latest period to submit

renewal application –   45 days → Earliest point for filing

Under Article 28 of Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, the employer must submit the renewal application no earlier than 45 days and no later than 10 days before the Work Permit expires. In practical terms, don’t interpret this as: “I have until the day before expiry.” You don’t.

The filing window closes 10 days before expiry. That is one of the easiest deadlines to overlook.

2. Who Actually Submits the Renewal Application?

The foreign employee is the person whose Work Permit is being renewed. But the application is generally handled by the employer.

Under the current procedure, the employer submits the renewal application through the applicable administrative channel to the provincial-level public administration service center, which then forwards the application to the competent authority.

The current framework also provides for electronic transactions, with employers submitting Work Permit-related applications online through the National Public Service Portal.

This is important for foreign employees:

Your Work Permit renewal is not something you should treat as a personal visa-renewal task.

Your employer needs to coordinate the process. That means communication between HR, the foreign employee and the immigration/legal team should begin well before the deadline.

3. What Documents Are Needed for Work Permit Renewal?

The renewal application is more focused than a completely new Work Permit application.

Under Article 27 of Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, the renewal dossier includes the employer’s application/report using Form No. 03, together with a health examination certificate, unless the health examination result has already been connected and shared through the relevant health information system.

Depending on the case, additional supporting documentation may be relevant to establish the underlying employment arrangement and other legal requirements. A practical preparation list is therefore:

Document	Purpose
Employer’s application – Form No. 03	Requests the Work Permit renewal
Health examination certificate	Establishes required health condition, unless the result is electronically available under the applicable system
Existing Work Permit / supporting documents	Helps establish the worker’s existing status
Employment-related documents	Supports the continued employment arrangement where applicable
Foreign-issued documents	May require legalization and Vietnamese translation if applicable

The exact dossier should be checked against the worker’s specific circumstances rather than copied from an old application.

4. What If My Documents Were Issued Overseas?

This is an area that can quietly delay a Work Permit application.

Under Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, foreign-issued documents included in a Work Permit application generally require consular legalization, unless an applicable exemption exists under a treaty, reciprocity principle or Vietnamese law.

After legalization, the documents generally need to be translated into Vietnamese and certified in accordance with Vietnamese law.

This means an employer should not wait until the final week to discover that an important foreign document needs legalization. For foreign professionals, this can be particularly relevant when supporting documents come from several different countries.

5. How Long Does Work Permit Renewal Take?

Once the competent authority receives a complete application, the current regulation provides a processing period of 10 working days for the Work Permit renewal.

This does not mean employers should plan around exactly ten working days. If the application is incomplete or requires correction, the practical timeline can become longer.

Preparing the application correctly the first time can reduce avoidable delays.

6. How Long Can the Renewed Work Permit Last?

Under the current rules, the duration of a Work Permit is generally tied to the relevant underlying employment or assignment document, subject to the statutory limits. For a renewed Work Permit, the renewal can only be carried out once and the maximum renewal period is two years.

This is important because:

Renewal does not mean unlimited extensions.

If the foreign worker wants to continue working after the renewed permit reaches its limit, the employer may need to proceed with a new Work Permit application rather than simply requesting another renewal. Decree 219/2025 specifically provides that a foreign worker who has already had their Work Permit renewed and wishes to continue working for the same employer, in the same position and field, must go through the Work Permit issuance procedure.

7. Renewal vs. New Work Permit: Don’t Mix Them Up

This distinction is extremely important.

Renewal – Generally applies when the existing Work Permit is approaching expiry and the worker remains eligible under the applicable conditions.

New Work Permit – May become necessary after the Work Permit has already been renewed once, or where the worker’s circumstances require a new permit rather than a renewal.

For example, Decree 219/2025 states that a foreign worker who has already had their Work Permit renewed and wants to continue working for the same employer in the same position and field must carry out the Work Permit issuance procedure.

So don’t tell HR: “Just renew it again.”

First determine whether the case is legally a renewal or a new issuance.

8. What If I Am Changing My Job at the Same Time?

This is where things become more complicated. Suppose your Work Permit expires in one month. At the same time, you have accepted an offer from another company.

You might think:

“I’ll just renew my existing Work Permit and transfer it later.”

That may not be the correct strategy. A Work Permit is connected to the foreign worker’s employment circumstances, including the employer and position.

If you are changing employers, the appropriate procedure should be assessed separately rather than assuming that a renewal is the correct route.

9. What Happens to Your Visa or TRC?

A renewed Work Permit and your immigration status are not the same document. This distinction is easy to overlook. A foreign employee may successfully renew their Work Permit but still need to review their visa or Temporary Residence Card (TRC).

Why?

Because your immigration status may be connected to your employment and sponsoring organization. Therefore, after renewing the Work Permit, HR should also check whether the foreign employee’s visa or TRC needs to be updated, extended or otherwise addressed.

10. What Are the Most Common Work Permit Renewal Mistakes?

Mistake #1 — Starting too late

Waiting until the final days can leave insufficient time to correct an incomplete application.

Mistake #2 — Using an old document checklist

Vietnam’s foreign-worker regulations changed significantly with Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, effective August 7, 2025.

A checklist prepared under older regulations may no longer accurately reflect the current process.

Mistake #3 — Forgetting foreign document legalization

A foreign-issued document may need legalization and Vietnamese translation unless an exemption applies.

Mistake #4 — Confusing renewal with new issuance

A Work Permit that has already been renewed once may require a new issuance procedure for continued employment.

Mistake #5 — Renewing the Work Permit but ignoring the TRC

Employment authorization and immigration status should be reviewed together.

A Better Way to Manage Your Work Permit Renewal

For employers, the safest approach is not to wait for HR to notice an expiry date accidentally. Create a simple internal timeline:

45 days before expiry: begin the renewal process.

30–20 days before expiry: confirm documents and resolve legalization or health-check issues.

At least 10 days before expiry: ensure the application has been submitted within the statutory filing window.

After submission: monitor the application and respond promptly if additional information is requested.

After approval: review the foreign employee’s visa/TRC and employment documents.

This turns Work Permit renewal from an emergency task into a predictable HR compliance process.

How DHH LAW FIRM Can Help

Work Permit renewal may look straightforward when everything is unchanged. In practice, small changes can affect the appropriate procedure:

• new employer

• new position

• changed employment arrangement

• expired supporting documents

• foreign documents requiring legalization

• previous Work Permit already renewed once

• visa or TRC changes

At DHH LAW FIRM, we can review the foreign employee’s existing Work Permit, employment arrangement and supporting documents before the filing window closes.

Our legal team can assist with preparing the renewal dossier, reviewing foreign documents, identifying legalization requirements and coordinating the application process with the employer. Where renewal is no longer the correct procedure, DHH LAW FIRM can also help determine whether a new Work Permit application or another legal route is required.

Most importantly, we help employers avoid discovering a Work Permit problem after the expiry date.

Final Takeaway

If your Work Permit in Vietnam is approaching expiry, don’t wait until the final week. Under the current rules, the renewal application must be submitted between 45 and 10 days before the Work Permit expires, and the competent authority has 10 working days from receipt of a complete dossier to process the renewal. A Work Permit may be renewed once, for a maximum renewal period of two years.

But the most important question is not simply: “Can I renew my Work Permit?”

It is: “Is renewal actually the correct procedure for my current employment situation?”

If you are continuing with the same employer, changing positions, changing employers, or approaching the end of a previous renewal period, DHH LAW FIRM can help you determine the appropriate next step before your authorization expires.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How early can I renew my Work Permit in Vietnam?

→ Under Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, the employer may submit the renewal application no earlier than 45 days and no later than 10 days before the Work Permit expires.

• How long does Work Permit renewal take?

→ The competent authority has 10 working days from receipt of a complete application to consider and process the renewal.

• How long is a renewed Work Permit valid?

→ The renewal period depends on the applicable underlying documents but is limited to a maximum of two years, and the Work Permit can only be renewed once.

• Can I renew my Work Permit a second time?

→ After a Work Permit has already been renewed, continuing to work for the same employer in the same position and field requires the Work Permit issuance procedure, rather than another renewal.

• Who submits the Work Permit renewal application?

→ The employer submits the application through the applicable administrative procedure. The current framework also provides for online submission through the National Public Service Portal.

• Do foreign documents need consular legalization?

→ Foreign-issued documents included in the Work Permit dossier generally require consular legalization unless an applicable exemption exists, followed by Vietnamese translation and certification as required.

• Does Work Permit renewal automatically extend my TRC?

→ No. The Work Permit and immigration status are separate matters. Your visa or Temporary Residence Card (TRC) should be reviewed separately based on your employment and sponsorship circumstances.

 

Contact DHH Law Firm for Support

• Hotline (English): +84 89 935 1777
• Hotline (Vietnamese): +84 89 935 2777
• Email: contact@dhhlawfirm.vn
• Website: www.dhhlawfirm.vn
• HCMC Office: No. 829 Huynh Tan Phat Street, Phu Thuan Ward, Ho Chi Minh City.