EOR by country · Hong Kong
Hiring in Vietnam from Hong Kong.
How Hong Kong 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 4 min read · General information, not legal or tax advice
Short answer
How can a Hong Kong company hire employees in Vietnam?
A Hong Kong company can employ staff in Vietnam without a Vietnamese entity 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, and charges US$99–199 per employee a month plus VAT. Hong Kong and Vietnam have a double tax agreement in force. Staff employed in Vietnam by a Vietnamese employer join Vietnamese social insurance rather than the Hong Kong Mandatory Provident Fund. Hong Kong is one hour ahead of Vietnam and the Lunar New Year falls in the same week. Hong Kong trading and sourcing companies often use an EOR for merchandisers, quality-control inspectors and buying-office staff working with factories in Vietnam. 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.
- Hong Kong and Vietnam have a double tax agreement in force.
- Staff employed in Vietnam join Vietnamese social insurance, not the Hong Kong MPF.
- Hong Kong is one hour ahead; the Lunar New Year falls in the same week.
- Sourcing staff can visit factories for you, but signing purchase orders and paying suppliers should stay in Hong Kong.
How it works
Hiring in Vietnam from Hong Kong through an EOR.
Your company in Hong Kong 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.
Hong Kong and Vietnam have a double tax agreement in force, which sets the permanent establishment test for Hong Kong companies. For sourcing offices this matters: staff in Vietnam can inspect goods, follow up orders and visit factories, but keep signing purchase orders, negotiating prices and paying suppliers in Hong Kong. Employees resident in Vietnam pay Vietnamese income tax at 5% to 35%, withheld monthly by Nhân Kiệt.
Paying
Paying from Hong Kong.
Nhân Kiệt sends one invoice a month covering salary, statutory contributions and the fee, and Hong Kong clients usually pay by telegraphic transfer in the currency agreed in the service agreement. Employees are paid in dong in Vietnam and join Vietnamese social, health and unemployment insurance; the Hong Kong Mandatory Provident Fund does not apply to them. Nhân Kiệt’s account team works with you in English or Chinese.
Working together
Time zone and holidays.
Hong Kong is one hour ahead of Vietnam, so working days overlap almost completely. The Lunar New Year falls in the same week — Vietnam’s Tết holiday runs from 16 to 20 February in 2026 — while Easter, the Mid-Autumn Festival and Christmas are working days in Vietnam.
People
Staff, contracts and work permits.
Sourcing and buying offices in Vietnam typically need merchandisers, quality-control inspectors, technicians and admin staff who travel between factories. Business travel inside Vietnam is part of the job description in the labour contract, with travel allowances documented so they can be treated correctly for tax. Hong Kong managers working in Vietnam need a work permit, which Nhân Kiệt applies for as employer.
See also social insurance 2026, personal income tax 2026 and work permits.
Worked example
What one hire costs.
A quality-control merchandiser on ₫22,000,000 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 ₫5,170,000, so the monthly employment cost is ₫27,170,000. 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 Hong Kong companies make in Vietnam.
- Letting Vietnam staff sign purchase orders or negotiate prices for the Hong Kong company.
- Paying travel allowances without documentation, so they cannot be treated as tax-free.
- 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 Hong Kong: FAQ
Do Hong Kong and Vietnam have a tax treaty?
Yes. A double tax agreement between Hong Kong and Vietnam is in force.
Do Vietnam staff join the Hong Kong MPF?
No. Staff employed in Vietnam by a Vietnamese employer join Vietnamese social insurance instead.
Can our Vietnam QC staff visit factories?
Yes. Inspection and follow-up are fine; keep signing orders and negotiating prices in Hong Kong.
Is the Lunar New Year a holiday in both places?
Yes. In 2026 Vietnam’s Tết holiday runs from 16 to 20 February.
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 Hong Kong 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 Hong Kong 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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