Foreign-Invested Vocational Training Center in Vietnam: Investment & Education Licenses

Short answer: Opening a foreign-invested vocational training center in Vietnam requires two license layers: (1) investment approval — the Investment Registration Certificate (IRC) under the 2025 Investment Law; and (2) education licensing — permission to establish the vocational education institution, followed by vocational education activity registration. The current education law is the 2025 Law on Vocational Education (replacing the 2014 Law from 1 January 2026).

1. The new framework: 2025 Law on Vocational Education

First, a critical clarification: Law on Vocational Education 74/2014/QH13 expired on 1 January 2026. The current basis is the Law on Vocational Education 124/2025/QH15 (passed 10 December 2025, effective 1 January 2026; certain provisions effective 1 July 2026).

Implementing instruments:

• Decree 95/2026/ND-CP (31 March 2026) guiding the 2025 Law; it abolishes Chapter IV of Decree 15/2019 (on training cooperation with foreign partners).
• Decree 15/2019/ND-CP (amended by Decree 24/2022) remains in force in full to implement the 2025 Law under Resolution 10/2026/NQ-CP — except the abolished Chapter IV.
• Decree 143/2016/ND-CP on investment and operating conditions in vocational education (amended by Decrees 140/2018 and 24/2022) remains in force.

2. Layer 1 — Investment procedure: the IRC

A foreign-invested vocational training center project must complete investment procedures under the Investment Law 143/2025/QH15 (effective 1 March 2026, replacing Investment Law 61/2020/QH14) and Decree 96/2026/ND-CP (31 March 2026; certain provisions from 1 July 2026).

The outcome is the Investment Registration Certificate (IRC) for the training center project — a prerequisite before proceeding with the education licensing steps.

3. Layer 2 — Establishment permission: capital and land thresholds

After the IRC, the investor applies for permission to establish the foreign-invested vocational education institution under Chapter III of Decree 15/2019/ND-CP (Article 9 and related provisions).

Capital and facility thresholds apply under Article 3 of Decree 143/2016/ND-CP. For a vocational training center:

• Minimum investment capital: VND 5 billion — excluding land value;
• Minimum land area: 1,000 m².

(For reference: intermediate schools — VND 50 billion / 10,000–20,000 m²; colleges — VND 100 billion / 20,000–40,000 m² — useful when weighing scale options.)

Beyond capital and land, detailed conditions (establishment project, training programs, organizational structure, teaching staff, facilities) are set out in Decree 143/2016 as amended — review the consolidated text of Decree 143/2016 before applying, as parts were amended by Decree 24/2022.

4. Layer 3 — Activity registration: the 24-month deadline

Establishment permission is not yet a license to enroll students. The center must complete vocational education activity registration — within 24 months from the effective date of the establishment decision/permission (Article 24(4)(b) of Decree 143/2016/ND-CP, as amended by Article 1(19) of Decree 24/2022/ND-CP).

This is a binding deadline: past it without activity registration, the center lacks legal standing to conduct training.

5. Additional cautions

• Decree 95/2026 may contain new detailed rules on establishment conditions for foreign-invested vocational education institutions supplementing Chapter III of Decree 15/2019 — review the full text of Decree 95/2026 before finalizing the dossier.
• Establishment authority after the 2025 two-tier local government reorganization must be verified against the delegation instrument in force at filing time — do not rely on unverified sources.
• Do not cite the 2014 Vocational Education Law as current law in any dossier or project document — it expired on 1 January 2026.

FAQ

What is the minimum capital for a vocational training center? VND 5 billion, excluding land value; minimum land area 1,000 m² (Article 3 of Decree 143/2016/ND-CP).

Do foreign investors need an IRC? Yes. Foreign-invested projects must complete investment procedures and obtain the Investment Registration Certificate under the 2025 Investment Law and Decree 96/2026 before establishment permission.

How long after establishment permission must the center register its activities? Within 24 months from the effective date of the establishment decision/permission (Article 24(4)(b) of Decree 143/2016, amended by Decree 24/2022).

Is the 2014 Vocational Education Law still applicable? No. Law 74/2014/QH13 expired on 1 January 2026, replaced by Law on Vocational Education 124/2025/QH15.

Legal sources

• Law on Vocational Education 124/2025/QH15 (passed 10 December 2025, effective 1 January 2026).
• Decree 95/2026/ND-CP (31 March 2026) — guiding the 2025 Law.
• Decree 15/2019/ND-CP (amended by Decree 24/2022/ND-CP); Resolution 10/2026/NQ-CP.
• Decree 143/2016/ND-CP (amended by Decrees 140/2018/ND-CP and 24/2022/ND-CP).
• Investment Law 143/2025/QH15 (effective 1 March 2026); Decree 96/2026/ND-CP (31 March 2026).

See also: FLAT Law Firm’s [Foreign Investment](/en/foreign-investment-en/) updates on investment procedures and sub-licenses for foreign investors.

Need help opening a foreign-invested vocational training center? [Contact FLAT Law Firm](/en/contact/) for an assessment of conditions, dossiers, and a roadmap for your specific case.

Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice for any specific case. Regulations may change; always verify against the original legal text in force at the time of application.

Transparency note: This article was reviewed for quality and legal accuracy by FLAT Law Firm’s AI Legal Council; it has not been reviewed or approved by a human lawyer of FLAT Law Firm.