A short guide to working and living in Vietnam
By Hang Do
A short guide to living and working in Vietnam for foreigners is an useful blueprint for those who love to discover and settle down in this beautiful country. During a visit to Thailand, I made friends with some people from Britain, USA, etc. When asked what their next destination country would be, many of them said it would be Vietnam. I was not surprised when some wished to look for a job, and live in Vietnam.
In order to help new comers have a good start, I am sharing a short guide to you about how to find a job and make a living in Vietnam. If that is your dream, keep reading to the end of this blog.
How to look for a job in Vietnam
Living and working in Vietnam either long term or short term is a wonderful experience. If you are offered a job to Vietnam, it is advised that you should make a careful research on the job offer, contact the employer to make sure all the contract terms are clear and agreed before you decide to take it. It is always wise to consider your budget if you have not found a job yet.
Followings are several kinds of jobs that a foreigner might have a chance to land on.
Jobs without Vietnamese language requirements
Teaching English (or other languages)
Teaching is the most typical job. It is very easy to find job advertisement looking for English speaking teachers. If this is what you aim to do, it is advised to take some basic teaching certificates such as TOEFL. It is also an advantage you have some experience.
Some language centers requires a trial where you will participate in teaching at their center under observation in order to evaluate your capacity and experience. It is also possible to apply for teaching positions at vocational schools, universities if you have qualified certificates or degrees.
Teaching English online is a new kind of job. It is very flexible and not tied to a particular place. You can register to become an online language teacher. The disadvantage of this approach is that it does not require many skills and experience, thus tending to be low paid and irregular work.
The demand for native English speaking teachers in Vietnam is always high. However, there have also been more and more immigrants who want to find such jobs in Vietnam. Therefore competition exists. Owning relevant certificates and experience is always beneficial.
Other jobs
Beside teaching, there is also demand for highly skilled professionals in such fields as IT, design, advertisement, e-commerce, working for the embassies, professional fitness and yoga trainers, etc.
Where to look for jobs in Vietnam
Looking for jobs in Vietnam is not too difficult if you invest time to do some research. Facebook is one popular social medial channel to find expat groups, job advertisements. Some popular Facebook groups are Hanoi Foreigner Group, English teaching job and accommodation, Vietnam ESL teacher, English teachers in Hanoi, etc.
Other channels to find jobs include agencies, recruitment websites, local news papers, LinkedIn, friends, etc.
- Vietnam Works: This is the best job site in Vietnam to look for professional jobs.
- Job Street: A website covers recruitment for Asia-Pacific region including Vietnam.
- Career Link: Lots of jobs are posted here too.
- Lao dong: Local newspaper.
- Career Jet: Job opportunities in Vietnam
- Learn4Good: Job opportunities in Vietnam
Applying for Working Visa
In order to be eligible to work in Vietnam, work permit is required. The work permit application must be submitted within 90 days upon arrival to Vietnam.
Learning basic Vietnamese will be considered an advantage if you plan to stay longer in the country to work and live. It will help you integrate easily, get to know local people, and expand career opportunities.
Vietnamese language courses in Helsinki are here.
Applying for working permit
Up to date information about apply for work permit in Vietnam is available on the official website of Vietnam immigrant office advantage. From this website, you will find:
- Application procedures, required documents, processing time and service fees.
- Conditions to work in Vietnam without work permit.
Accommodation in Vietnam
Nowadays, there are many information on internet to find information about living and working in Vietnam. Accommodation varies from budget hostels to high class hotels. Some pocket links are Agoda, Hostelworld, Booking. Craigglist.com and Expat.com provide you with information about studio/ apartment. It is good to consider location to rent apartment or hotel because traffic jam has been always a challenge.
Welcome you to Vietnam!
Last but not least, when you start living in Vietnam, quickly adapting to the local environment, culture and customers is very important to help you land on a job and integrate better. Hopefully this short guide to living and working in Vietnam helps and encourages you to start an interesting and unique adventure in this S-shaped country.
If you are interested in learning more about Vietnam
BiziVietnam wishes to introduce to local and international friends in Finland the unique culture of Vietnam through our programmes such as Vietnamese Language Courses for Adults and Children, Vietnamese Cooking Classes in Helsinki, Hobby Clubs, and upcoming exciting public events and membership programmes.
About BiziVietnam
BiziVietnam is the first ever non-profit organisation in Finland dedicated to empowering cultural connections and strengthening the Vietnamese cultural footprint in locals, internationals and Vietnamese people in Finland; along with promoting cooperation opportunities between Finland and Vietnam. Follow us on Social Media for the latest news and upcoming events.