Coverage starts with Decree 143/2018, not with any job
Short answer: not every foreign worker in Vietnam is covered by compulsory social insurance. Coverage starts with Decree 143/2018, and it applies only to a specific group. A foreign worker is subject to compulsory social insurance if they hold a Vietnamese-issued work permit, practice certificate, or practice licence, and they have an indefinite-term employment contract or a contract lasting at least one year. The decree also states that coverage is subject to stated exemptions. Nothing in the reviewed material records what those exemptions are, so a worker who falls outside the permit-and-contract test should verify their status directly with the social insurance agency rather than assume coverage or non-coverage. The trigger for coverage is therefore the legal basis for working in Vietnam, not the fact of employment itself.
The lump-sum trigger is the end of the contract or the permit
Short answer: the lump-sum benefit becomes available when the employment relationship ends or the permit expires without renewal. A covered foreign worker may request a lump-sum social insurance benefit when the employment contract ends, or when the work permit, practice certificate, or practice licence expires without renewal. The trigger is tied to the end of the legal basis for working in Vietnam, not to a decision to leave the country or to any other event. Nothing in the reviewed material records whether a worker who leaves Vietnam before the contract ends or before the permit expires can still claim the benefit, or whether there is a deadline for filing after the trigger event occurs. A worker approaching the end of a contract or permit should treat that date as the point at which the claim becomes available, and confirm any filing window with the agency.
Form 14-HSB is the application form, not the whole file
Short answer: Form 14-HSB is the core application form, but the reviewed material does not record a complete document list. The application for a lump-sum social insurance benefit uses the social insurance lump-sum benefit request form, Form 14-HSB. Published procedural guidance commonly lists Form 14-HSB and a passport with a certified Vietnamese translation among the application documents. However, nothing in the reviewed material records a complete, authoritative document list. A worker preparing an application should not assume that Form 14-HSB and a translated passport are sufficient; the social insurance agency may require additional documents, and the reviewed material does not establish what those are. The gap matters because an incomplete application delays the five-working-day resolution period, which starts only from receipt of a complete file.
The agency has five working days to pay or refuse in writing
Short answer: the social insurance agency has five working days to resolve and arrange payment after receiving a complete application. If the agency refuses the claim, it must give written reasons. The five-working-day period starts from receipt of a complete application, not from the date of filing if the application is incomplete. Nothing in the reviewed material records what happens if the agency fails to act within five working days, or whether the five-day period is suspended while the agency requests additional documents. A worker who files a complete application should note the date of receipt and follow up if no payment or written refusal arrives within five working days.
You can authorize someone else, but foreign authorization may need legalization
Short answer: a claimant who does not file or receive the benefit personally may authorize another person to do so, but authorization completed abroad may require consular legalization. The reviewed material records this as a general rule for social insurance claims, not as a step described in the May 2025 VSS Q&A entry. If you are leaving Vietnam before the payment is arranged, you can appoint a representative in Vietnam to submit the application and collect the money. The authorization document should state the scope of authority and identify both parties. When the authorization is signed outside Vietnam, the social insurance agency may ask for consular legalization or an equivalent certification before accepting it. Nothing in the reviewed material records a standard form for this authorization, so you should confirm the exact format with the social insurance office where you file. For practical context on managing money and payments as a foreigner in Vietnam, see banking-money-and-paying-rent-in-vietnam.
Some guidance says file within 10 days before the end date
Short answer: some published procedural guidance says applications should be filed within 10 days before the employment contract ends or the relevant permit or certificate expires, whichever occurs first, but this is not stated in the reviewed VSS Q&A entry. The 10-day window appears in third-party procedural guides, not in the May 2025 VSS question-and-answer text. If you rely on this timing, confirm it with the social insurance office where you will file, because the reviewed material does not record an official deadline. The five-working-day resolution rule in claim [4] starts from a complete application, so filing early or late may affect when payment is arranged. For foreign workers whose work permit is expiring, the timing of social insurance withdrawal can interact with visa status; see vietnam-visa-guide-for-long-term-renters for the visa side.
The benefit is calculated at 1.5 or 2 months per contribution year
Short answer: the lump-sum benefit is generally calculated at 1.5 months of average contributory salary per contribution year before 2014 and two months per year from 2014 onward, subject to the applicable law and rounding rules. The reviewed material records this formula as the common method for foreign workers, but it does not provide a worked example or the exact rounding rule. Your average contributory salary is based on the salary used to calculate your compulsory social insurance contributions, not your take-home pay. If you contributed for part of a year, the calculation may be prorated, but nothing in the reviewed material confirms how partial years are treated. Because the formula changed in 2014, workers with contributions both before and after that year will have two different multipliers applied to the relevant periods. The final amount is paid in Vietnamese đồng, and the social insurance agency is required to arrange payment within five working days of a complete application, as noted in claim [4]. For a broader look at money and payments as a foreigner in Vietnam, see banking-money-and-paying-rent-in-vietnam.
What the May 2025 VSS Q&A leaves open
Short answer: Decree 143/2018 states exemptions exist, but the reviewed material does not list them, and nothing in the reviewed material records the complete document list beyond Form 14-HSB and a passport with certified translation, nor the full procedure or processing details beyond the five-working-day rule. The May 2025 VSS Q&A entry confirms that a covered foreign worker can request a lump-sum benefit when the contract ends or the permit expires, but it does not reproduce the application steps, the exact documents required, or the eligibility exemptions under Decree 143/2018. Claim [1] establishes that compulsory social insurance applies to foreign workers with a work permit, practice certificate, or practice licence and a contract of at least one year or indefinite term, subject to stated exemptions, but the reviewed material does not say what those exemptions are. Claim [3] identifies Form 14-HSB as the application form, and claim [7] adds that published procedural guidance commonly lists a passport with a certified Vietnamese translation, but the VSS Q&A entry itself does not provide a full checklist. The five-working-day resolution rule is clear, but nothing in the reviewed material records where to file, how to submit, or what happens if the application is incomplete. For related practical guidance on health coverage and insurance as a foreigner, see healthcare-and-health-insurance-in-vietnam-for-expats.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I withdraw my social insurance in one lump sum when my work permit expires and I leave Vietnam?
- Yes, if you were covered. Under Decree 143/2018, a foreign worker with a Vietnamese-issued work permit and a contract of at least one year is subject to compulsory social insurance, subject to stated exemptions. A covered worker may request a lump-sum benefit when the employment contract ends or when the work permit, practice certificate, or practice licence expires without renewal. So if your work permit expires and you leave Vietnam, you can request the lump sum.
- What form do I need to file for a lump-sum social insurance claim as a foreign worker?
- You file the social insurance lump-sum benefit request form, Form 14-HSB. This is the form the application uses for a lump-sum social insurance claim.
- How long does the social insurance agency have to pay my lump-sum benefit?
- The social insurance agency is required to resolve and arrange payment within five working days after receiving a complete application. If it refuses, it must give written reasons.
- Can my friend or agent file the lump-sum claim for me if I have already left Vietnam?
- Yes. A claimant who does not file or receive the benefit personally may authorize another person to do so. If the authorization is completed abroad, it may require consular legalization.
- How is the lump-sum amount calculated for foreign workers?
- Published guidance generally calculates the lump-sum benefit at 1.5 months of average contributory salary per contribution year before 2014 and two months per year from 2014 onward, subject to the applicable law and rounding rules. This is the commonly cited formula, not a confirmed statutory figure in the reviewed material.
- What documents are required for a foreign worker's lump-sum social insurance claim?
- Published procedural guidance commonly lists Form 14-HSB and a passport with a certified Vietnamese translation among the application documents. Form 14-HSB is confirmed as the application form; the passport translation is reported in procedural guidance but not confirmed in the reviewed material.
Updated: 2026-09-08