A work-based temporary residence card in Vietnam is issued only after the employment side is settled: an LD2 card follows a work permit, and an LD1 card follows a confirmed exemption from the work permit requirement. The employer is the sponsor, the card's term is set to fit within the permit or exemption and your passport, and when the job ends the card's basis ends too. Changing employers normally means a new work permit or exemption and a new card sponsored by the new employer.
Most long-term foreign residents in Vietnam are employees, which makes the relationship between the work permit and the residence card the most important piece of paperwork in their lives here. This guide looks at that relationship from the residence side: the order of steps, how card terms are set, what to do when a contract ends early, and how to avoid the gaps that cause overstays. The work permit process itself, including documents and exemptions, is covered in our work permits section. Rules and the responsible agencies have changed recently, so always confirm with your employer and the authorities.
Two documents, two authorities
Foreign employees deal with two separate systems. The work permit, or the confirmation that a work permit is not needed, comes from the labour side of government. It answers the question of whether you may work for this employer in this role. Following the 2025 restructuring of ministries, labour functions were merged into the Ministry of Home Affairs, and at provincial level work permit procedures are handled by the provincial department responsible for labour. Because these arrangements changed during 2025, check with your employer which office now handles your file.
The residence card comes from the immigration side, within the Ministry of Public Security. It answers a different question: whether you may live in Vietnam, and on what basis. The immigration office will not issue a work-symbol card without seeing the labour document, and the labour document on its own does not let you stay.
Seen this way, most problems with work cards are timing problems between the two systems. A permit that expires before the card, a new permit that is issued while the old card still names the previous employer, or a card renewal attempted before the permit has been extended, are all variations of the same mismatch. Keeping the two documents' dates side by side, ideally in one simple table that both you and your HR contact can see, prevents most of them.
LD1 and LD2 side by side
The comparison below summarises how the two work symbols are commonly applied. Specific exemptions are listed in labour regulations and have been revised several times.
| LD1 | LD2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it covers | Foreigners working in Vietnam who are exempt from the work permit requirement | Foreigners who must hold a work permit |
| Labour document | Confirmation of exemption, where the rules require one | Work permit issued by the provincial labour authority |
| Typical examples | Certain capital-contributing owners or managers, some intra-company assignments, foreign spouses of Vietnamese citizens living in Vietnam, others listed in the rules | Teachers, engineers, managers, specialists and most other employees |
| Sponsor | The employer or enterprise | The employer |
| Commonly cited maximum card term | Up to 2 years, within the exemption's validity | Up to 2 years, within the work permit's validity |
| What ends it | Leaving the role or losing the exemption basis | End of employment, permit expiry or revocation |
Exemptions are narrower than many people assume and usually still involve paperwork. Being exempt from a permit does not mean being exempt from the process; the employer often has to obtain written confirmation from the labour authority before the immigration office will accept the exemption.
The order that avoids trouble
For a new hire, the cleanest sequence runs as follows. Employers who hire foreigners regularly will recognise it; smaller employers sometimes need a reminder.
- The employer establishes its need to hire a foreigner for the position, through the procedure the labour authority requires, before filing for a permit.
- You supply qualification and background documents, typically degree certificates, evidence of experience, a criminal record check and a health certificate, legalised and translated where issued abroad.
- The employer obtains the work permit or the exemption confirmation.
- Your visa is aligned, either by entering on an LD visa sponsored by the employer or by converting your current visa inside Vietnam where allowed.
- Your address is declared by your landlord or hotel.
- The employer files for your card, attaching the permit or exemption confirmation.
- You check the card's dates against the permit's dates and record both renewal deadlines.
Starting work before step three is completed is the most common mistake. Even if the employer is relaxed about it, working without a permit or confirmed exemption is unlawful and the consequences, which can include fines and deportation, fall on the foreign worker as well as the company.
When the job ends or changes
Resigning or being let go. When employment ends, the work permit stops reflecting reality and the employer is expected to deal with it under labour rules, including notifying the authorities. The card's basis ends with it. Do not assume you can keep living on the card until its printed expiry date; ask the immigration office what applies in your case and how long you have to change status or leave.
Moving to a new employer. The new employer needs its own work permit or exemption for you, because permits are tied to a specific employer and position. Once that is issued, the new employer sponsors a new card. Plan the transition so that there is no period in which you are working for the new employer before its permit exists.
Promotion or new role at the same employer. A significant change of position may require the work permit to be amended or reissued, since permits describe the job. Ask HR to check before the new role starts.
Short gaps between jobs. If you need time between roles, you may need to switch to a different visa, such as an e-visa obtained after leaving and re-entering, or a visa the immigration office can grant in your situation. A gap is not a reason to work informally.
Company closure. If the employer closes or loses its licence, everyone it sponsored loses their basis. Keep copies of your documents so that a new employer can move quickly.
A note for English teachers
Teaching English is one of the most common routes into long-term work in Vietnam and also one of the most common sources of residence trouble. Reputable language centres and schools obtain work permits for their teachers, sponsor LD2 cards, and keep the dates in order. Less careful operators sometimes ask teachers to start on an e-visa while the permit is still pending, or employ teachers on a part-time basis without any permit at all.
Before accepting a contract, ask the employer directly whether it will obtain a work permit, how long the permit will be, who pays for document legalisation and translation, and when the card application will be filed. The documents usually requested for teaching roles include a degree and an English teaching certificate, both legalised, as well as a clean criminal record check from your home country and a health certificate. Collecting the criminal record check before departure is particularly useful, because obtaining one remotely can take time.
Teachers who move between employers every year should be especially careful about the transition months, which is when most overstays and unpermitted work begin.
Teachers in public schools, universities and international schools face a similar process, though the employer's paperwork may differ. Whatever the setting, the same principle holds: the permit comes first, the card second, and the classroom only after both are in hand or the employer has confirmed in writing that the lawful steps have been completed.
Myths about work cards worth dropping
“My employer handles everything, so I do not need to know.” Good employers do handle most of it, but the consequences of a mistake fall on you personally: an overstay, a fine or a refused entry is recorded against your name. Knowing your own dates is the cheapest insurance there is.
“A card from my last job covers me until it expires.” The card describes a sponsor relationship. Once the job ends, the card no longer reflects a real basis, even if the printed date is months away.
“Remote work for a foreign client is fine on a work card.” A work card covers the employment described in your permit. Side work for other parties, even online, sits outside that, and the safe assumption is that it needs its own lawful basis.
“Exempt means no paperwork.” Most exemptions still require written confirmation from the labour authority, and the immigration office will ask for it before issuing an LD1 card.
“The card can be renewed even if the permit lapses.” The card follows the permit. If the permit is not extended or reissued in time, the card cannot be renewed on a work basis.
Keeping work and residence in step over the years
A work permit is commonly issued for up to two years at a time, and extensions are limited under current rules. A card issued on that basis will not outlast the permit. In practice, many long-term employees go through a cycle every two years: permit extension or reissue, then a new card. The cycle goes smoothly when it starts early, and HR teams who have done it before often begin three months ahead.
Keep your own copies of every permit, card, contract and legalised certificate. Employers change staff, and records get lost. Your own file lets a new HR officer, or a new employer, rebuild your history quickly, and it may later matter if you ever apply for permanent residence on a basis where your years of lawful residence count.
One more habit pays off: when you collect a new permit or card, send your HR contact a short note confirming both end dates as you read them. It takes two minutes, it puts the dates in writing on both sides, and it often catches a mismatch before it becomes a problem. If your employer uses an outside service provider, ask for their contact as well, so that you are not dependent on a single person who might leave the company.
Câu hỏi thường gặp
Can I get a work TRC before my work permit is issued?
No. The immigration office needs the work permit, or the confirmation of exemption for LD1, before it will issue a work-symbol card. Your employer should obtain the labour document first and then file for the card.
How long is a work TRC valid in Vietnam?
It is set to fit within your work permit or exemption and your passport validity, and the commonly cited maximum for LD cards is two years. If your permit runs for less, your card will too. Renewal follows a permit extension or reissue.
Can I change jobs on my existing work TRC?
Not simply. Work permits are tied to a specific employer and position, and the card is sponsored by that employer. A new job usually means a new permit or exemption and a new card sponsored by the new employer. Plan the timing so there is no gap or overlap.
What happens to my TRC when my contract ends?
The basis for the card ends with the employment. Ask the immigration office how long you have to change status or depart, and do not rely on the printed expiry date. If you have another basis, such as a family tie, discuss converting to it.
Is LD1 better than LD2?
Neither is better; they reflect different situations. LD1 is for people exempt from the work permit requirement, LD2 for those who need a permit. Your employer and the labour authority determine which applies based on your role and circumstances.
Can I work part-time for a second employer?
Only if the work is covered by a work permit or exemption for that employer and position. A permit for one employer does not authorise work for another. Freelancing or teaching privately on the side without coverage is not permitted.