EOR by country · India
Hiring in Vietnam from India.
How Indian 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 Indian company hire employees in Vietnam?
An Indian 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. India and Vietnam have a double tax agreement in force. On the Indian side, remittances to a foreign service provider usually need Forms 15CA and 15CB, and your tax adviser should check whether Indian withholding tax applies to the fee — up to 10% under the treaty for fees for technical services — and which documents, such as a Vietnamese tax residency certificate, are needed. Vietnam is one and a half hours ahead of India. Indian IT services firms often use an EOR to start delivery teams in Vietnam.
Key takeaways
- Nhân Kiệt employs your Vietnam team for US$99–199 per employee a month plus VAT, with no entity needed.
- India and Vietnam have a double tax agreement in force.
- Indian remittances to a foreign service provider usually need Forms 15CA and 15CB.
- Check whether Indian withholding tax of up to 10% applies to the fee as fees for technical services.
- Vietnam is one and a half hours ahead of India.
How it works
Hiring in Vietnam from India through an EOR.
Your company in India 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.
India and Vietnam have a double tax agreement in force. It sets the permanent establishment test for Indian companies, so keep contract signing and pricing in India, and it allows India to tax fees for technical services paid to a Vietnamese company at up to 10%. Whether your payments to Nhân Kiệt are treated that way is a question for your Indian tax adviser; claiming treaty treatment usually requires the provider’s tax residency certificate and Form 10F. Employees resident in Vietnam pay Vietnamese income tax at 5% to 35%, withheld monthly by Nhân Kiệt.
Paying
Paying from India.
Nhân Kiệt sends one invoice a month covering salary, statutory contributions and the fee. Before remitting, Indian companies usually file Form 15CA, with a chartered accountant’s certificate on Form 15CB where required, and pay through an authorised dealer bank in the currency agreed in the service agreement. Employees are paid in dong in Vietnam.
Working together
Time zone and holidays.
Vietnam is one and a half hours ahead of India, so a 9:00 start in Bengaluru is 10:30 in Vietnam and the working days overlap for most of the day. Diwali, Holi and Independence Day are working days in Vietnam, while Tết, from 16 to 20 February in 2026, is not an Indian holiday.
People
Staff, contracts and work permits.
Indian IT services firms commonly start a Vietnam delivery team of developers, testers and project coordinators through an EOR, often with an Indian delivery manager on site. That manager needs a Vietnamese work permit, which Nhân Kiệt applies for as employer, with Indian degrees and records legalised and translated into Vietnamese.
See also social insurance 2026, personal income tax 2026 and work permits.
Worked example
What one hire costs.
A full-stack developer on ₫38,000,000 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 ₫8,930,000, so the monthly employment cost is ₫46,930,000. 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 Indian companies make in Vietnam.
- Remitting without Forms 15CA and 15CB, which delays payment at the bank.
- Ignoring Indian withholding tax on the fee until the year-end audit.
- 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 India: FAQ
Do India and Vietnam have a tax treaty?
Yes. A double tax agreement between India and Vietnam is in force.
Do we need Forms 15CA and 15CB to pay Nhân Kiệt?
Usually yes for remittances to a foreign service provider; your chartered accountant confirms which apply.
Is Indian withholding tax due on the EOR fee?
It may be, at up to 10% under the treaty if the fee counts as fees for technical services; take Indian tax advice.
Can an Indian delivery manager work in Vietnam through an EOR?
Yes. Nhân Kiệt employs them and applies for the work permit as employer.
Does a Indian 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 Indian 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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