Hire native English teachers in Vietnam
Hire native English teachers in Vietnam for your language center, kindergarten, bilingual, private or international school through Meridian Teachers, a teacher recruitment agency. We introduce only teachers who want to work in Vietnam and fit the role.
Who hires foreign teachers in Vietnam?
Language centers, kindergartens, bilingual, private and international schools in Vietnam all hire foreign teachers. Vietnam was one of the five busiest markets in the Q3 2026 edition of our Teacher Hiring Report.
Pay offered this season had a median of 48 million VND a month (about $1,900), and the middle half of roles offered 42 to 52 million VND. English Teacher Salaries in Asia compares Vietnam with China, Taiwan, South Korea and Thailand.
How to hire a foreign teacher in Vietnam
Once you choose your teacher from our shortlist, your school applies for a work permit under Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, signs a labor contract and sponsors the teacher's LĐ2 work visa. Your school completes these steps as the employer.
- 1The teacher
Prepare the teacher's documents
Documents issued abroad must be consularly legalized, unless an exemption applies, then translated into Vietnamese and certified. Allow time for this before your school files.
- Health certificate from a licensed clinic
- Criminal record certificate issued within the last 6 months
- Degree, plus a letter from a past employer confirming the teacher's experience
- Valid passport and two 4 x 6 cm photos
- 2Your schoolDecided within 10 working days
Apply for the work permit
Under Decree 219/2025/ND-CP your school files one application that covers both its need for a foreign employee and the permit itself, with a letter explaining why it needs a foreign teacher. File it online through the National Public Service Portal or at the local public administration service center, between 60 and 10 days before the teacher's start date. The competent provincial authority decides within 10 working days of a complete file.
- 3Your school
Sign the labor contract
Once the permit is issued, your school and the teacher sign a written labor contract under Vietnamese labor law, before the start date. The permit runs for the planned length of that contract, up to 2 years, and can be extended once for up to 2 more years.
- 4Your school
Work visa and residence card
The teacher needs an LĐ2 work visa, which your school sponsors, and can then apply for a temporary residence card.
How long it usually takes
Once the file is complete, the permit moves quickly: the authority decides within 10 working days, and your school can file up to 60 days before the start date. Allow the most time for the teacher's documents from abroad, which must be legalized and translated first, so start them as soon as you choose your teacher.
Rules checked October 2026
The work permit and visa steps on this page follow Decree 219/2025/ND-CP, in force since August 7, 2025, and Vietnam's law on the entry and residence of foreigners.
Official sources
Why schools choose Meridian Teachers
Schools choose Meridian Teachers because we send a short list of teachers who fit the role and have told us they want it, then book the interviews around your timetable. See all six reasons and how a search works.
- 2,500+ teacher profiles
- 1,500+ native English speakers
- 850+ hold a PGCE, B.Ed or teaching licence
- 550+ maths, science and computing teachers
Hiring foreign teachers in Vietnam
Have a question about hiring in Vietnam? Ask us through the form below and the Meridian Teachers team will reply.
Ask the schools teamWho sponsors the work permit and visa in Vietnam?
Your school does. In Vietnam the school is the employer, so it applies for the work permit and sponsors the teacher's work visa. We can add work visa support on request, so mention it when you send us the role.
What documents does a foreign teacher need for a Vietnam work permit?
A health certificate from a licensed clinic, a criminal record certificate issued within the last 6 months, a valid passport, two 4 x 6 cm photos, and proof of qualifications and experience. Documents issued abroad must be consularly legalized, unless an exemption applies, then translated into Vietnamese and certified.
How long does it take to hire a foreign teacher in Vietnam?
The work permit step is quick: your school files 60 to 10 days before the start date, and the authority decides within 10 working days of a complete file. The teacher's legalized and translated documents from abroad usually take the most time, so start them first.
What qualifications does a teacher need for the work permit?
Teachers applying as experts need a university degree or higher and at least 2 years of relevant experience, shown by a letter from a past employer. Teachers in education also need qualifications that meet Vietnam's standard for their kind of school, and language center teachers must meet the center's operating rules. A work permit already issued in Vietnam can stand in as proof of experience. 1,700+ teachers in our pool hold a TEFL, TESOL or CELTA.
When does the school sign the labor contract?
After the work permit is issued and before the teacher's start date, your school and the teacher sign a written labor contract under Vietnamese labor law. The work permit runs for the planned length of that contract, up to 2 years.
What do schools in Vietnam pay foreign teachers?
Our English Teacher Salaries in Asia report (Q3 2026 edition) puts the median salary offered in Vietnam at 48 million VND a month (about $1,900). The middle half of roles offered 42 to 52 million VND.
Can you find maths, science or kindergarten teachers for Vietnam?
Yes. Our pool includes 550+ maths, science and computing teachers, 800+ teachers who have taught early childhood and 100+ special education specialists. Tell us the subject and level you need.
Hiring now or for next term?
Subject, level and start date are enough to begin. Tell us about the role and the Meridian Teachers team will reply by email.
Every hire backed for 90 days
If your new teacher leaves or is let go in that time, the replacement is on us.
Looking for a teaching job? Apply as a teacher