EOR by country · Thailand
Hiring in Vietnam from Thailand.
How Thai 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 Thai company hire employees in Vietnam?
A Thai 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. Thailand and Vietnam have a double tax agreement in force and share the same time zone, so the working day is identical. Staff employed in Vietnam join Vietnamese social insurance rather than the Thai Social Security Fund, and get 12 working days of annual leave. Thai companies expanding into Vietnam — in retail, consumer goods, manufacturing and building materials — often use an EOR for sales, distribution, operations and finance staff while they test the market or before their own company is licensed.
Key takeaways
- Nhân Kiệt employs your Vietnam team for US$99–199 per employee a month plus VAT, with no entity needed.
- Thailand and Vietnam have a double tax agreement in force.
- Bangkok and Vietnam share the same time zone, UTC+7.
- Staff employed in Vietnam join Vietnamese social insurance, not the Thai Social Security Fund.
- Annual leave is 12 working days, compared with a minimum of 6 days in Thailand.
How it works
Hiring in Vietnam from Thailand through an EOR.
Your company in Thailand 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.
Thailand and Vietnam have a double tax agreement in force, which sets the permanent establishment test for Thai companies. Sales teams are where the risk sits: Vietnam staff can find customers, run promotions and support distributors, but prices and contracts should be agreed and signed by the Thai company. Employees resident in Vietnam pay Vietnamese income tax at 5% to 35%, withheld monthly by Nhân Kiệt. Ask your Thai tax adviser whether Thai withholding tax applies to the service fee you pay; the agreement usually decides it.
Paying
Paying from Thailand.
Nhân Kiệt sends one invoice a month covering salary, statutory contributions and the fee, and Thai clients usually pay by international transfer in the currency agreed in the service agreement. Employees are paid in dong and join Vietnamese social, health and unemployment insurance; the Thai Social Security Fund does not cover staff employed in Vietnam by a Vietnamese employer.
Working together
Time zone and holidays.
Bangkok and Vietnam share the same time zone, UTC+7, so meetings, approvals and payroll deadlines run on the same clock. Both countries take 1 May off for Labour Day, but Songkran in April is a working period in Vietnam, and Tết, from 16 to 20 February in 2026, is not a Thai public holiday.
People
Staff, contracts and work permits.
Thai managers working in Vietnam need a work permit, which Nhân Kiệt applies for as employer, with Thai documents legalised and translated into Vietnamese. Annual leave in Vietnam is 12 working days from the first year, compared with a minimum of 6 days after a year in Thailand, plus 12 paid public holidays in 2026. Sales staff paid commission need the commission rules written into the contract or a published policy, as commission is part of taxable salary.
See also social insurance 2026, personal income tax 2026 and work permits.
Worked example
What one hire costs.
A sales operations executive on ₫21,000,000 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 ₫4,935,000, so the monthly employment cost is ₫25,935,000. 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 Thai companies make in Vietnam.
- Letting Vietnam sales staff agree prices and sign distributor contracts for the Thai company.
- Paying commission without written rules, which leads to disputes and tax errors.
- 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 Thailand: FAQ
Do Thailand and Vietnam have a tax treaty?
Yes. A double tax agreement between Thailand and Vietnam is in force.
Are Thailand and Vietnam in the same time zone?
Yes. Both use UTC+7, so the working day is identical.
Does Thai social security cover our Vietnam staff?
No. Staff employed in Vietnam by a Vietnamese employer join Vietnamese social insurance.
Can Thai managers work in Vietnam through an EOR?
Yes. Nhân Kiệt employs them and applies for the work permit as employer.
Does a Thai 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 Thai 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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