Before you start

A Vietnamese labour contract of 12+ months
A work permit
(Your employer runs enrolment — you don't apply yourself)

Step-by-step

1
Confirm whether you're in scope
From 1 July 2025, foreign workers on 12-month+ labour contracts must join compulsory social insurance — unless you're an intra-company transferee on a foreign payroll or from a country with a bilateral SI agreement.
Via employerWho: Employer + youAt onboarding—
2
Employer enrols & deducts
Your employer registers you and deducts from payroll. Social insurance: 8% employee + 17% employer. Health insurance (BHYT) is enrolled in parallel under the 2024 Health Insurance Law.
Via employerWho: Your employerMonthly8% of salary (employee share)
3
Use public care — or top up privately
BHYT covers public hospitals at subsidised rates. Many expats add private/international insurance for English-speaking and international clinics.
In personWho: You—Private insurance optional/extra

Documents you’ll need

Work permit
Labour contract (12+ months)
Passport / TRC
(Employer handles SI/BHYT registration)

Things most newcomers don’t know

It's mandatory and automatic — not a choice (since July 2025).

Foreign workers on 12-month+ contracts must be in the scheme; it's deducted from payroll. Budget for the 8% employee share rather than expecting take-home to match the headline salary.

Source: EY / PwC / law-firm consensus

You might be exempt — check before contributing.

Intra-company transferees on a foreign payroll, and nationals of countries with a bilateral SI agreement who already contribute abroad, can be exempt. Confirm with HR.

Source: law-firm consensus

Public BHYT ≠ international-clinic access.

BHYT covers public hospitals at subsidised rates, but most expats want private/international clinics (English-speaking, shorter waits) and carry separate private cover for that.

Source: provider consensus

There's a contribution cap.

Contributions are capped at 20× the base wage (~VND 46.8M/month in 2026), so very high earners don't pay 8% on the entire salary.

Source: PwC / law-firm consensus

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming public BHYT gets you into international clinics
Not budgeting for the 8% employee deduction
Missing an exemption you qualify for (intra-company transfer / treaty country)

Make it your personal checklist

Globe Quest turns this into a tracked, AI-personalized plan for Ho Chi Minh City — timed to your move date, with reminders so nothing slips. Free to start.