EOR by country · China
Hiring in Vietnam from China.
How Chinese companies employ people in Vietnam without an entity: tax, payments, time zone, staff and cost.
Updated 22 October 2026 · Written and checked by Nhân Kiệt's payroll and employment-law team (labour leasing licence 029/LĐTBXH-GP, employing people in Vietnam since 2009) · About 5 min read · General information, not legal or tax advice
Short answer
How can a Chinese company hire employees in Vietnam?
A Chinese company can employ staff in Vietnam before or instead of setting up a Vietnamese company by using an employer of record such as Nhân Kiệt, which signs the labour contract, runs payroll in dong, pays social insurance and income tax, applies for work permits and charges US$99–199 per employee a month plus VAT. Vietnam and China have a double tax agreement in force. Working hours overlap almost fully, with Beijing one hour ahead, and Tết and the Spring Festival fall in the same week. From mainland China, a single outbound service payment above the equivalent of US$50,000 needs a tax record filing before the bank remits it. Chinese manufacturers often use an EOR for HR, purchasing, quality-control and Chinese-speaking admin staff while their investment registration is in progress. Nhân Kiệt’s account team works with clients in Chinese as well as English.
Key takeaways
- Nhân Kiệt employs your Vietnam staff for US$99–199 per employee a month plus VAT, with no entity needed.
- Vietnam and China have a double tax agreement in force.
- A single outbound service payment above US$50,000 from mainland China needs a tax record filing first.
- Beijing is one hour ahead; Tết and the Spring Festival fall in the same week.
- Chinese documents for work permits need consular legalisation and a certified Vietnamese translation.
How it works
Hiring in Vietnam from China through an EOR.
Your company in China signs one service agreement with Nhân Kiệt. Nhân Kiệt signs a bilingual Vietnamese–English labour contract with each person, runs payroll in dong, pays social insurance and personal income tax, and applies for work permits for foreign hires. You choose the people, set salaries and direct their daily work, and pay one monthly invoice covering salary, statutory contributions and the service fee. Nothing is registered in Vietnam in your company’s name.
Tax
Tax treaty and tax exposure.
Vietnam and China have a double tax agreement in force. It sets when a Chinese company’s activity in Vietnam creates a permanent establishment, so keep contract signing and pricing in China and let Vietnam staff support rather than close sales. Chinese staff who spend 183 days or more in Vietnam in a year become Vietnamese tax residents and pay income tax at 5% to 35%, withheld monthly by Nhân Kiệt; the agreement helps them avoid being taxed twice on the same salary.
Paying
Paying from China.
From mainland China, a single outbound payment for services above the equivalent of US$50,000 needs a tax record filing with the local tax bureau before the bank remits it; since 2021 one filing covers all payments under the same contract. Monthly invoices for a small team are usually below that line, but prepaid or quarterly invoices may not be. Payments are usually made in US dollars, and employees are paid in dong in Vietnam. Nhân Kiệt’s account team works with you in Chinese.
Working together
Time zone and holidays.
Beijing is one hour ahead of Vietnam, so working days overlap almost completely. Tết and the Spring Festival fall in the same week — Vietnam’s holiday runs from 16 to 20 February in 2026 — so production and payroll plans can follow one break. China’s National Day week in October is a normal working period in Vietnam.
People
Staff, contracts and work permits.
Chinese managers and technicians need a Vietnamese work permit, which Nhân Kiệt applies for as employer. Degrees, experience letters and criminal-record certificates from China need consular legalisation and a certified Vietnamese translation, and gathering them usually takes longest. Many manufacturers employ their first Vietnamese team through an EOR while the investment registration is in progress, then move staff to their own company with social-insurance history carried over.
See also social insurance 2026, personal income tax 2026 and work permits.
Worked example
What one hire costs.
A production supervisor on ₫25,000,000 a month. Employer contributions for a Vietnamese employee are 23.5% — 21.5% social, health and unemployment insurance plus the 2% trade-union fee — or ₫5,875,000, so the monthly employment cost is ₫30,875,000. Add Nhân Kiệt’s fee of US$99–199 plus VAT. The salary is illustrative; use the employer cost calculator for your own figures.
Common mistakes
Mistakes Chinese companies make in Vietnam.
- Sending a large prepaid invoice without the tax record filing needed for payments above US$50,000.
- Starting Chinese managers before the work permit is issued.
- Paying people as contractors when the work looks like employment under Vietnam’s Labour Code.
- Copying home-country contracts and policies instead of a Vietnamese labour contract.
- Letting Vietnam staff conclude sales contracts, which can create a permanent establishment.
Questions
Hiring in Vietnam from China: FAQ
Do Vietnam and China have a tax treaty?
Yes. A double tax agreement between Vietnam and China is in force.
Do we need approval to pay Nhân Kiệt from China?
A single outbound service payment above the equivalent of US$50,000 needs a tax record filing with your local tax bureau first; one filing covers the same contract.
Can Chinese managers work in Vietnam through an EOR?
Yes. Nhân Kiệt employs them and applies for the work permit; their documents need consular legalisation.
Can we use an EOR while our Vietnamese company is being set up?
Yes. Staff can move to your company later with their social-insurance history carried over.
Does Nhân Kiệt work with clients in Chinese?
Yes. Nhân Kiệt’s account team works with clients in Chinese as well as English; labour contracts are bilingual Vietnamese and English.
Does a Chinese company need a Vietnamese entity to hire in Vietnam?
No. Nhân Kiệt employs your staff in Vietnam under one service agreement with your company.
How much does it cost a Chinese company to employ someone in Vietnam?
Salary, employer contributions of about 23.5% for a Vietnamese employee, and Nhân Kiệt’s fee of US$99–199 per employee a month plus VAT.
How quickly can we hire in Vietnam?
A Vietnamese national can start once the service agreement and labour contract are signed; a foreign hire typically takes four to eight weeks for the work permit.
Hiring in Vietnam? We handle all of this as your employer.
Nhân Kiệt employs your team, runs payroll, insurance, tax and work permits. Fee: US$99–199 per employee a month, plus VAT.
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