Expats in Vietnam

The return of three-month tourist visas makes it much easier for unscrupulous companies to hire foreigners illegally without going through the necessary work permit and visa motions. In a move aimed at bolstering its post-COVID recovery and attracting more visitors, Việt Nam has (finally) reintroduced its three-month tourist visa policy. While I'm all for rejoicing this milestone in the post-pandemic era, this policy also reopens the door to another problem that was rampant across the country pre-2020 – illegal work. The advantages of this arrangement lean heavily towards the employers themselves, as they face little judicial oversight regarding their employees. Stories of such companies refusing to pay out salaries are commonplace; as the illegal worker was never technically on the books, legal recourse is impossible. There are some advantages for those illegally employed too, namely they do not have to meet the legal requirements to work in Việt Nam, such as professional qualific