A Vietnamese work permit is tied to the specific employer named on it — there is no concept of “transferring” a permit from an old company to a new one. When changing jobs, the new employer must complete the entire work permit application from scratch under Decree 219/2025/ND-CP (effective 07/08/2025).
New employer = completely new dossier
The new employer must redo both steps: step 1 — foreign-labor demand approval (15-day job posting on the provincial People’s Committee portal, except exempt cases such as ICT/service contracts; 10 working days for approval); step 2 — the Article 18 issuance dossier (application form, health certificate ≤12 months, criminal record ≤6 months, passport, photos, employment-form and position proof), filed at least 15 days before the start date.
The old permit in the former employer’s name is unusable at the new company, even for an identical job title.
No work before the new permit is issued
Starting work at the new employer before the new permit is issued is a violation — both worker and employer face penalties and the permit may be revoked. Job-change planning must therefore budget 4–6 weeks for the procedure, just like a first-time application.
On immigration: the new permit grounds the adjustment of the LD2 visa and temporary residence card to the new employer.
The only exception: rename with the same tax code
Decree 219/2025 draws a clear line: where the employer changes its name but keeps the same tax code, only a re-issuance is needed — 3 working days with proof of the change, not a new application. But if the tax code changes (merger, split, new legal entity), that is a new employer and the full procedure restarts.
Can the old permit be reused after changing companies?
No — the work permit is tied to a specific employer. The new company must apply for a completely new permit, even for the same job title.
How long does the new employer’s procedure take?
About 4–6 weeks: 15-day job posting + 10 working days demand approval, then filing at least 15 days before the start date (10 working days processing).
May work begin while the new permit is pending?
No — working before the new permit is issued is a violation that can lead to fines and revocation.
Can old documents (degrees, criminal record) be reused?
Partly — documents still within validity (criminal record ≤6 months, health certificate ≤12 months, legalized degrees) may be reused; but the application form, demand documents, and position proof must be redone for the new employer.
What if the old company merges into the new one?
If the legal entity and tax code change, that is a new employer — a new permit application is required. Only the same tax code qualifies for 3-working-day re-issuance.
For detailed advice on changing employers, contact FLAT Law Firm.
This article has been quality-reviewed by the FLAW AI Legal Council. Content was prepared by the FLAT Law Firm AI Legal Council and has not been reviewed by a human lawyer.