New Guidance on registration of Internal Labor Rules and Collective Labor Agreements in Ho Chi Minh City

On 14 August 2025, the Department of Home Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City issued Official Letter No. 1351/SNV-LDTLBHXH, providing guidance on the submission and management of enterprises’ Internal Labor Rules and Collective Labor Agreements under the city’s newly implemented two-tier local government model.

The Official Letter clarifies the allocation of authority for dossier registration and management. Foreign-owned companies are required to submit to the Department of Home Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City. Companies operating in export processing zones and industrial parks must submit to the Management Board of Export Processing and Industrial Zones. All other companies should file with the Division of Culture and Society under the commune/ward People’s Committee where their head office is located.

Enterprises may submit dossiers either directly or through the online public service portal, with electronic submission strongly encouraged as a means of reducing time and costs. The statutory processing timeline remains unchanged under the Labor Code 2019, i.e., no more than seven working days from the date of receipt of a valid dossier.

With this reallocation of responsibilities, enterprises should ensure that their dossiers are submitted to the correct authority to avoid delays or rejections. Companies are also advised to review the current status of their Internal Labor Rules and Collective Labor Agreements to ensure timely registration or amendment. In practice, businesses should be mindful that commune-level officials under the Division of Culture and Society may still be gaining familiarity with these procedures.