EOR by country · Singapore
Hiring in Vietnam from Singapore.
How Singapore 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 Singapore company hire employees in Vietnam?
A Singapore 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. Singapore and Vietnam have a double tax agreement in force. Staff employed in Vietnam join Vietnamese social insurance; CPF does not apply to them. Singapore is one hour ahead of Vietnam. Many Singapore regional headquarters use an EOR for their Vietnam team — operations, engineering and business development — and the main point to manage is that Vietnam staff support sales rather than conclude contracts, so the company does not create a permanent establishment. Nhân Kiệt’s account team works with clients in Chinese as well as English.
Key takeaways: hiring in Vietnam from Singapore
- Nhân Kiệt employs your Vietnam team for US$99–199 per employee a month plus VAT, with no entity needed.
- Singapore and Vietnam have a double tax agreement in force.
- Staff employed in Vietnam join Vietnamese social insurance; CPF does not apply.
- Business development staff should support sales, not conclude contracts in Vietnam.
- Singapore is one hour ahead of Vietnam.
How it works
Hiring in Vietnam from Singapore through an EOR.
Your company in Singapore 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
The Singapore–Vietnam tax treaty and tax exposure.
Singapore and Vietnam have a double tax agreement in force, which sets the permanent establishment test. Regional headquarters often hire a Vietnam business development lead first; that person can find leads, meet clients and prepare proposals, but contracts should be negotiated, approved and signed by the Singapore company. Employees resident in Vietnam pay Vietnamese income tax at 5% to 35%, withheld monthly by Nhân Kiệt.
Paying
Paying for staff in Vietnam from Singapore.
Nhân Kiệt sends one invoice a month covering salary, statutory contributions and the fee, and Singapore clients usually pay by bank transfer in the currency agreed in the service agreement. Employees are paid in dong and join Vietnamese social, health and unemployment insurance; Singapore’s CPF does not cover staff employed in Vietnam by a Vietnamese employer.
Working together
Time zone and holidays: Singapore and Vietnam.
Singapore is one hour ahead of Vietnam, so regional teams share almost the whole working day. Chinese New Year and Tết fall in the same week — Vietnam’s holiday runs from 16 to 20 February in 2026 — while Hari Raya, Deepavali and Christmas are working days in Vietnam. Annual leave in Vietnam is 12 working days from the first year, compared with a statutory minimum of 7 days in Singapore.
People
Staff, contracts and work permits in Vietnam for Singapore companies.
Singapore companies commonly employ operations, customer success, engineering and business development staff in Vietnam, often reporting to a regional manager in Singapore. Regional managers who move to Vietnam need a work permit, which Nhân Kiệt applies for as employer. Bonus plans and share awards from the Singapore parent are taxable employment income in Vietnam and are reported through payroll.
See also social insurance 2026, personal income tax 2026 and work permits.
Worked example
What one hire in Vietnam costs a Singapore company.
A business development manager on ₫45,000,000 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 ₫10,575,000, so the monthly employment cost is ₫55,575,000. Nhân Kiệt’s EOR fee at this salary is ₫3,600,000 — 8% of the salary, at least US$99 and at most US$199 — plus VAT; every published EOR fee is compared on EOR cost in Vietnam. The salary is illustrative; use the employer cost calculator for your own figures.
Common mistakes
Mistakes Singapore companies make in Vietnam.
These are the mistakes Nhân Kiệt sees most often when Singapore companies hire in Vietnam:
- Letting the Vietnam business development lead sign client contracts.
- Leaving share awards from the parent off the Vietnamese payroll.
- 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 Singapore: FAQ
Do Singapore and Vietnam have a tax treaty?
Yes. A double tax agreement between Singapore and Vietnam is in force.
Does CPF apply to our Vietnam staff?
No. Staff employed in Vietnam by a Vietnamese employer join Vietnamese social insurance.
Can our Vietnam business development lead sign contracts?
It is safer not to. Let them find and prepare deals, and have the Singapore company negotiate and sign.
Are parent-company share awards taxable in Vietnam?
Yes. They are employment income for an employee resident in Vietnam and are reported through payroll.
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 Singapore 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 Singapore 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. EOR fee: US$99–199 per employee a month, plus VAT.
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