Under the Government’s Decree No.143/2018/ND-CP, which took effect from December 1, 2018, employees who are foreign citizens working in Vietnam with either a work permit, practice certificate, or practice licence granted by Vietnamese authorities and under unfixed-term labour contracts or contracts with a term of full one year and above will be covered by compulsory social insurance.

Foreign workers entitled to compulsory social insurance.

Similar to Vietnamese employees, the social insurance scheme for foreigners will cover sickness, maternity, occupational diseases and accidents, retirement, and survivor benefits.

From January 1, 2022, foreign labourers who are subject to the compulsory insurance scheme must contribute 8 percent of their monthly salary to the retirement and survivor benefit fund, equivalent to the amount their Vietnamese peers do.

Meanwhile, it is compulsory for employers to contribute amounts equal to 3 percent of the employees’ monthly salary to the sickness and maternity funds, and 0.5 percent to the funds for occupational accidents and hazards. They also have to contribute 14 percent of the employees’ monthly salary to the retirement and survivor benefit funds.

According to statistics by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs, the number of foreign employees in the country increased from 63,557 in 2011 to 83,046 in 2016. They mostly came from Asian countries like China, the Republic of Korea, and Japan, accounting for 73 percent of the total; followed by European nations (21.6 percent) and North America (2.4 percent).

Efforts made to observe rights of foreign workers’ social insurance

Bilateral agreements for a new generation of social insurance policy have been negotiated to support foreign workers engaging in Vietnam’s social insurance scheme, said Deputy General Director of the Vietnam Social Security (VSS) Dao Viet Anh.

 

New decree issued on compulsory social insurance for foreign workers

The Government has officially issued a decree stipulating in details and guiding the enforcement of the Law on Social Insurance on compulsory social insurance for foreign employees in Vietnam, which will take effect on December 1 this year.

 

Foreign workers can apply work permits online from October

Foreign workers in Vietnam can apply for work permits online from October 2, according to a circular recently issued by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA).

 

Health insurance card holders reach 82.7 million

  

 

Health insurance covers 87.7% of population, exceeding yearly target

The health sector fulfilled two targets set by the National Assembly and the Government, with the number of hospital beds per 10,000 people at 26.5 and the health insurance coverage rate of 87.7%.

 

Source: VNA