Featured policies effective from July

Highest minimum wage 4.68 million VND/month

Effective from July 1, Decree 38/2022 of the Government has adjusted the regional minimum wage up, with an average increase of 6%. This is the lowest wage level that serves as a basis for the parties to negotiate and pay wages to employees.

Employees working at enterprises will be subject to the new regional minimum wage as follows: Region I increases from 4.42 to 4.68 million VND/month; Region II increases from 3.92 to 4.16 million; Region III increases from 3.43 to 3.64 million and Region IV increases from 3.07 to 3.25 million.

Employers operating in industrial parks and export processing zones located in areas with different minimum wages shall apply the area with the highest minimum wage.

Workers work at Dony Garment Company factory, Tan Binh district, Ho Chi Minh City, October 21, 2021. Photo:Quynh Tran

Decree 38 supplements regulations on regional minimum hourly wages. Specifically, regions I-IV have minimum hourly wages of VND22,500; VND20,000; VND17,500 and VND15,600, respectively. For employees paid weekly, daily, by product or piecework, the resolution stipulates that the converted wage must not be lower than the monthly minimum wage or the hourly minimum wage.

Issuing ordinary passports with chips

The Ministry of Public Security began issuing new passports from July 1, according to Circular No. 73 on passport and travel document models. The cover page of the passport is printed with the national emblem, national emblem, and passport name. Chip-embedded passports are printed with an additional electronic chip symbol, attached to the back cover.

The Circular stipulates that diplomatic passports have a reddish-brown cover page; official passports have a dark green cover page; and ordinary passports have a purple-blue cover page. People who need to apply for an ordinary passport or a chip-embedded passport can go to the Immigration Department of the provincial police where they are permanently or temporarily residing to resolve the issue.

When going through the procedures, people need to prepare a portrait photo, identity card or citizen identification card and documents proving permanent or temporary residence. The fee for a new passport is 200,000 VND; and the fee for reissuing a passport due to damage or loss is 400,000 VND.

Passports and travel documents issued before January 1, 2022 are valid until their expiration date. Citizens aged 14 and over are entitled to apply for an ordinary passport or a passport with an electronic chip. Passports are valid for 10 years.

Increased penalties for violations of military service medical examination

Decree 37/2022 of the Government takes effect from July 22, amending Decree 120/2013 stipulating new points on penalties for violations in military service health examination.

The decree clearly states that a fine of 10-12 million VND will be imposed if a citizen fails to appear at the time or place of the medical examination or health check-up as stated in the medical examination or health check-up order for military service without a valid reason. The previous fine was 800,000 VND to 1.2 million VND.

New recruits from Dong Anh district, Hanoi at the launching ceremony on the morning of February 27, 2021. Photo:Giang Huy

In addition, the decree increases the fine from 2-4 million VND to 15-20 million VND for the following acts: Fraudulently falsifying one's health classification results to avoid military service; giving money, property, or other material benefits worth less than 2 million VND to medical staff or other people to falsify health classification results to avoid military service.

The act of intentionally not accepting the call for military service health examination by the Commander of the District Military Command without a valid reason will be fined 12-15 million VND.

Reduce priority points when university entrance exam scores are high

The new university admission regulations issued with Circular 08/2022 of the Ministry of Education and Training, effective from July 22, stipulate a reduction in priority points for candidates with a total exam score above 22.5 points.

From 2023, candidates with a total score of 22.5 or higher (when converted to a 10-point scale and the maximum total score of 3 subjects is 30) will have their priority points determined according to the formula:

Priority points = [(30 - Total points achieved)/7.5] x Priority point level

For example, if a candidate scores 24 points, the bonus points will be 4 (maximum 5 points); if a candidate scores 27 points, the bonus points will be 2 and if a candidate scores 30 points, no bonus points will be added. Thus, if bonus points are calculated according to the new exam regulations, the higher the total score of the candidate, the fewer bonus points will be added.

In addition, the new exam regulations also limit the time to enjoy regional priority points from 2023. Candidates will only enjoy regional priority policies in the year of graduating from high school (or college) and for 1 more year after that. Candidates who retake the exam after 2 years of graduating from high school will no longer receive regional priority points when applying for university admission.

Son Ha