Logistics expert with 25 years of experience waits over 6 months for entry into Vietnam: EuroCham

EuroCham on Monday submitted a formal letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs, offering key recommendations to the draft decree intended to replace Decree 152, Vietnam’s current regulation governing work permits for foreign professionals.

EuroCham highlighted that the rigid requirement for formal academic degrees when applying for expert work permits, even in fast-evolving sectors where such majors did not historically exist, poses a hurdle for foreign experts seeking to enter Vietnam.

Businesses, particularly in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation, have called for greater flexibility to recognize professional experience in lieu of academic credentials, according to EuroCham.

“It took more than six months of paperwork and waiting to bring in a logistics expert with 25 years of experience – just because he had a degree in biology,” EuroCham chairman Bruno Jaspaert said at the recent Whitebook Launch.

“That is not just a cost burden, but it slows down innovation and disrupts business operations,” he added.

“It has been increasingly common for professionals to study one thing and build careers in another,” said EuroCham vice-chair Nguyen Hai Minh.

“In today’s interdisciplinary world, we need to value experience as much as formal education,” Minh said during the recent panel Q&A with the ministry.

EuroCham’s submission followed a high-level policy dialogue organized by the chamber in partnership with the Korean Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam on May 16 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Titled ‘Policy Recommendations on Work Permit Regulations and the Amendment of the Government’s Decree No. 152,’ the event was the only public consultation to date where government officials directly engaged with the international business community during this amendment process.

The draft decree is scheduled for submission to the government by May 31, 2025.

The event was part of the Vietnamese government’s broader efforts to streamline procedures and reduce administrative burdens – goals that have gained strong momentum since late 2024.

The draft decree will align with the prime minister’s directive to cut procedures by at least 30 percent, with some measures proposing up to 40 percent simplification.

During the dialogue, officials also acknowledged the degree-versus-experience concern and confirmed they were reviewing whether relevant work experience may substitute for academic degrees, especially in innovation-driven sectors.

To simplify the work permit application process in Vietnam, EuroCham recommended that technical workers with at least five years of experience should not be required to submit a diploma, certificate, or letter of confirmation.

In addition, it is necessary to eliminate the requirement for submitting company charters or operational regulations, according to EuroCham.

Other recommendations include clarifying exemptions for intra-corporate transferees and simplifying short-term expert assignments.