The new policy takes effect from May.
In May, several new policies came into effect, most notably: the use of lifelong learning record data on the national identification application VNelD; fines of up to 5 million VND for using e-cigarettes; and increased penalties for administrative violations in the field of gender equality…
Mechanism for autonomy and accountability in the use of administrative management funds.
The Government issued Decree No. 75/2026/ND-CP dated March 16, 2026, stipulating the regime of autonomy and self-responsibility in the management and use of administrative management funds; effective from May 1, 2026.
The Decree, comprising 3 Chapters and 15 Articles, regulates the regime of autonomy and self-responsibility in the management and use of administrative funds by state agencies.
The decree stipulates that administrative management funds allocated to agencies implementing the autonomous management system shall come from the following sources:
The state budget allocates funds for administrative management expenses in accordance with the law on the state budget and is determined for autonomous management as stipulated in this Decree.
Legitimate sources of income as prescribed by law (except where the law provides otherwise).
Increase penalties for administrative violations in the field of gender equality.
Decree 76/2026/ND-CP, issued by the Government on March 16, 2026, amends and supplements Decree 125/2021/ND-CP on administrative penalties for violations in the field of gender equality. This decree focuses on increasing the severity of penalties for acts hindering gender equality, including hindering family members from generating income.
A notable new development is the increased penalties for administrative violations in the field of gender equality. Specifically, acts of obstructing or preventing family members from engaging in income-generating activities or meeting other family needs due to gender; and unequal treatment among family members due to gender will be subject to fines ranging from 5 to 10 million VND.
The decree takes effect from May 1, 2026.
Rights of workers when participating in supplementary retirement insurance.
Effective from May 10, 2026, Government Decree 85/2026/ND-CP on supplementary retirement insurance stipulates that employees participating in supplementary retirement insurance have the following rights:
Voluntary participation in, cessation of, or suspension of participation in supplementary retirement insurance is governed by a written agreement between the employer and the employee, and the supplementary retirement insurance program registered with the retirement fund management company.
Receive supplemental retirement insurance payments as stipulated in Decree 85/2026.
Income paid from supplementary pension insurance funds is eligible for personal income tax incentives as stipulated by personal income tax laws; supplementary pension insurance contributions can be deducted from income before calculating tax on salaries and wages, at the rates prescribed by personal income tax laws.
Monitor and require employers to fully fulfill their responsibilities as stipulated in the written agreement between the employer and the employee, and the supplementary retirement insurance program registered with the retirement fund management company.
Monthly information regarding participation in supplementary retirement insurance is provided by the pension fund management company or the employer; employees may request confirmation of participation in supplementary retirement insurance from the pension fund management company.
Your information regarding participation in supplemental retirement insurance will be kept confidential.
Employees are entitled to maintain a supplemental retirement insurance contract for a maximum period of one year or to choose to transfer their individual retirement account to another retirement fund after the termination of their employment contract or upon reaching retirement age.
Complaints, denunciations, and lawsuits regarding supplementary retirement insurance are governed by law.
The designated heirs, in accordance with the Civil Code's prescribed order, are specified in the agreement or in the registration form for participation in the supplementary pension insurance fund to receive payments from the pension fund.
Utilize lifelong learning record data on the national identity application V.NelD
Government Decree No. 88/2026/ND-CP clearly states that agencies and units within the national education system, within their authority, are responsible for preparing and building technology systems or using services from providers to facilitate the creation and reporting of lifelong learning records as prescribed.
After being received and properly stored in the National Database on Education and Training, lifelong learning records will be automatically shared and integrated into the VNelD national identification application.
Students participating in the national education system are assigned a unique lifelong learning record number based on their personal identification number. Before the lifelong learning record number is issued, basic personal information must be verified and compared against the National Population Database.
Individuals have the right to access their lifelong learning record data, which has been integrated into the national identification application, for equivalent use in related paper documents.
The decree takes effect from May 15, 2026.
Users of e-cigarettes face fines of up to 5 million VND.
Government Decree No. 90/2026/ND-CP stipulates administrative penalties in the field of health, including fines for violations of regulations on the use and possession of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products as follows:
A fine of 3-5 million VND will be imposed for the act of using e-cigarettes or heated tobacco products.
A fine of 5-10 million VND will be imposed for harboring others who use e-cigarettes or heated tobacco products at a location owned or managed by oneself, except in cases where the harborer is the grandparent, parent, child, grandchild, sibling, spouse, or partner of the offender.
The above decree takes effect from May 15, 2026.
The act of obstructing marriage can be fined up to 10 million VND.
From May 18, 2026, Government Decree 109/2026/ND-CP dated April 1, 2026, will take effect, replacing the regulations in Decree 82/2020/ND-CP.
According to the Decree, one of the following acts is punishable by a fine of 5-10 million VND:
Being married and marrying someone else; being unmarried and marrying someone you know is already married; being married and cohabiting with someone else; being unmarried and cohabiting with someone you know is already married; marriage or cohabitation between a former foster parent and adopted child, father-in-law and daughter-in-law, mother-in-law and son-in-law, stepfather and stepdaughter, stepmother and stepson; obstructing marriage, demanding property in marriage, or obstructing divorce.
Charging for electricity at prices exceeding the regulated rate: Landlords could be fined up to 30 million VND.
Government Decree 133/2026/ND-CP dated April 6, 2026, specifies violations in electricity usage and corresponding penalties.
Specifically, if a landlord charges tenants for electricity at a rate higher than the regulated amount, and the electricity is purchased at the retail price for residential use, they will be fined between 20 and 30 million VND.
In addition, other behaviors related to electricity usage will be subject to the following penalties:
- Fines ranging from 3 to 5 million VND: Failure to notify when reducing the number of households sharing a meter or falsely declaring the number of people to receive the residential electricity allowance;
- Fines ranging from 5 to 8 million VND: Unauthorized installation, switching, disconnection, repair, relocation, or replacement of electrical equipment or facilities belonging to the electricity supplier.
- Fines ranging from 4-10 million VND: For electricity theft valued at less than 1 million VND; fines ranging from 10-20 million VND for electricity theft valued at 1 to less than 2 million VND.
- Fines ranging from 60 to 80 million VND: For high electricity consumption including substandard equipment, failure to comply with dispatching regulations, failure to reduce electricity consumption, and failure to invest in metering systems as required.
The decree takes effect from May 25, 2026.