Business News

The Viet Nam Immigration Department has issued guidelines on extension of temporary residence for foreigners in Viet Nam who are unable to exit Viet Nam to return home due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

As the nation ‘stays at home’ to avoid the spread of COVID-19, the department office will close from April 2 until further notice, a source from the department told Việt Nam News.

Vietnam has implemented 10 forms of responses under the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, including the establishment of National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, implementing health declarations requirements, organizing testing and mobilizing resources for treatment and others.

All passenger road transport services, including taxis, passenger cars and interprovincial coaches, began a two-week suspension of operations today, April 1, to fight the spread of Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, the Ministry of Transport noted on March 31.

The State Bank of Việt Nam on Tuesday issued a directive to reduce the fees for transactions via interbank electronic payment system by 50 per cent for local banks.

A range of new policies will come into effect this month, including fines of up to VNĐ100 million (US$4,192) for business owners who fail to pay their employees.

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs wants the Government to lift a ban and allow on a priority basis for 8,459 highly skilled foreign workers – out of the thousands who have been kept out – to enter Việt Nam since it has been difficult to find replacements for them.

The decision followed Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc agreeing Monday with a Health Ministry proposal on declaring the Covid-19 outbreak 'a national epidemic', asking people nationwide to stay home and heavily restrict their outside movements.