Immigration to Vietnam

Immigration to Vietnam is the process by which people migrate to become Vietnamese residents. After the declaration of independence in 1945, immigration laws were modified to give the central government some control over immigrant workers arriving from nearby South Asian countries such as China (including Hong Kong), Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, and Thailand. The Vietnam Immigration Department recently relaxed the strict controls on immigrant workers under Decree 21/2001/ND-CP, 34/2008/NĐ-CP and 46/2011/NĐ-CP.[1]

History

During the French rule of Vietnam between 1925 and 1933, nearly 600,000 Chinese emigrated to North Vietnam, and in the Second Sino-Japanese war that took place from 1937 to 1941, many Chinese left for South Vietnam. Tensions between newly reunified Vietnam and China led to a mass exodus in 1978, when 150,000 ethnic Chinese fled Northern Vietnam for China due to fears of imminent war and Vietnamese persecution.[2] In the aftermath of the subsequent 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War, the Vietnamese government made considerable efforts to drive out remaining ethnic Chinese residents, but many remained in the country; resulting in large Chinese communities in Vietnam that persists today.[3]

Many of the recent immigrants are Vietnamese who had left the country in the 1970s[4] and are returning to Vietnam due to more favorable political and economic conditions.

In the late 20th century, the majority of legal immigrants were males, but by the early 21st century, women accounted for nearly one-third of all legal immigrants. Over the last decade, many immigrants have been attracted to the urbanized areas of Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Danang, and the Central Highlands.[5] Neighboring provinces such as Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu, Đồng Nai, and Bình Phước also witnessed an increase in immigration.[6] The majority of immigrants moving to Vietnam in the last few years are much younger, with many between the ages of 15 and 34. Since the expansion of Decree No. 21/2001/ND-CP on 30 September 1992, the state has liberalized its visa policy with France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, the United Kingdom, Phú Quốc island, and APEC Business Travel Card holders.[7] This policy change led to an increase in the number of immigrants from these countries.

There are restrictions on the benefits that members of APEC Business Travel Card holders can claim, which are covered under Decree 34/2008/ND-CP.[8] It overruled existing immigration laws and exercised new temporary immigration control for foreigners working in Vietnam. However, the Government announced that the same rules would not apply to nationals of France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Phú Quốc Island. The Government exercised Decree 46/2011/NĐ-CP for the management of foreign employees in Vietnam, known as Managed Migration for all legal labor and student migration from outside South Asia. This area of immigration is managed and administrated by the Vietnam Ministry of Police.[9] Immigration applications are made at Vietnamese embassies or by consulates, and depend on the type of visa or permit required.[10]

In 2012, Vietnam saw a significant increase in immigration, with nearly 200,000 immigrants entering the country during that year.[11]

Work permits

Foreigners attempting to obtain a work permit in Vietnam are required to be of at least 18 years of age, have educational experience relevant to the job they are attempting to acquire, provide medical records, disclose any criminal record they may have, and be sponsored by a company that is registered in Vietnam. However, a work permit is not required if the worker's stay is under three months time. Standard work permits have a validity of 24 months. The Department of Labor, Invalids, and Society is responsible for issuing work permits.[12]

Illegal immigration

Illegal immigrants in Vietnam are mostly individuals who have worked or studied on a tourist visa/non-immigrant visa waiver, persons who entered the country without proper authority, and persons who overstayed their visas or entered with false documents. Many illegal immigrants from nearby countries make the dangerous boat journey across the sea to Vietnam.

From China

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vietnamese government started a crackdown on illegal immigration, as the virus resurfaced in Vietnam, citing an "increasing number of illegal entries from neighbouring countries, mainly China". Since March 2020, there has been no legal route into Vietnam for foreigners, with only few exceptions.[13][14]

Overstaying visa in Vietnam
Main article: Visa policy of Vietnam
Visa policy of Vietnam

Vietnam offers overstaying visas to foreigners who entered the country on a tourist visa. They are required to pay a fine before they then can request a visa extension. They are required to contact their local Immigration Office and pay for overstaying Vietnam Visa.[15] There are two types of financial prerequisites for overstaying in Vietnam: a fine fee, and an extension fee, but in case the extension request is declined, the foreigner has to pay an exit visa fee and will be forced to leave the country.[16] If foreigners have overstayed for a maximum of 2 days, they can pay their fine for overstaying at the airport.

See also

References
  1. Miller, Karl (2015-04-29). "From Humanitarian to Economic: The Changing Face of Vietnamese Migration". migrationpolicy.org. Retrieved 2019-11-21.
  2. "SIX PHASES OF REFUGEE EXODUS". Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  3. Nhân Trí Võ (1980). Vietnam's Economic Policy Since 1975. Institute of Southeast Asian. ISBN 9789813035546.
  4. "Vietnamese Immigrants in the United States". Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  5. "An Overview of Population and Development in Vietnam". Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  6. Le Thi Kim Anh; Lan Hoang Vu; Bassirou Bonfoh; Esther Schelling (2012). "An analysis of interprovincial migration in Vietnam from 1989 to 2009". Global Health Action. 5: 1–12. doi:10.3402/gha.v5i0.9334. PMC 3535692. PMID 23331992.
  7. "Visa free for APEC business travel card holders". Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  8. "No: 34/2008/ND-CP". Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  9. Robyn R. Iredale; Charles Hawksley; Stephen Castles (2003). Migration in the Asia Pacific: Population, Settlement and Citizenship Issues. Edward Elgar Publishing. ISBN 9781781957028.
  10. "Visas and Work Permits for Vietnam".
  11. "Vietnam Statistical Data". Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  12. "Work Permit Vietnam – Updating new regulations for expats – Embassy of Vietnam in Seoul, Korea – 베트남 대사관". Retrieved 2019-11-21.
  13. https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3096196/vietnam-cracks-down-illegal-entries-china-covid-19
  14. https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/gang-busted-for-smuggling-40-chinese-into-vietnam-4139260.html
  15. "Overstay Vietnam Visa 2019 – What to do, Fine and How To Exit Vietnam on an Expired Visa". www.myvietnamvisa.com. Retrieved 2019-11-21.
  16. "Passports and Visas". Retrieved 17 August 2015.
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