Unemployment Benefits in Vietnam: Eligibility and How to Estimate the Amount
Ezlun Team7 min read
Unemployment benefits eligibility in Vietnam comes down to three things: your employment contract ended lawfully, you paid unemployment insurance for at least 12 months within the 24 months before leaving, and you file your claim at an Employment Service Center within 3 months of leaving. The monthly benefit is 60% of your average insured salary.
This guide explains each condition, how to estimate the amount and duration yourself, how to apply and which cases do not qualify.
Who can claim unemployment benefits in Vietnam?
Unemployment benefits are for employees who pay into unemployment insurance (UI) through their employer and have just lost their job. Each month you pay 1% of your salary into the UI fund and your employer adds another 1%. If you leave your job and have not found a new one, you get part of your income back while you look for work.
You can see how much UI you pay each month on your payslip, or in our guide to calculating net salary from gross in Vietnam, on the unemployment insurance 1% line.
Note for foreign employees: not every employee in Vietnam pays into unemployment insurance. Check your payslip: if there is no 1% unemployment insurance line, you are not contributing and cannot claim. Ask HR if you are unsure how the rules apply to your contract.
What are the eligibility conditions?
You need to meet all of the following:
Your employment or work contract has ended in line with the law. Resigning lawfully, with the full notice period, still qualifies.
You paid UI for at least 12 months within the 24 months before the contract ended. The months do not have to be consecutive, as long as they fall inside that 24-month window. If your contract had a fixed term of 1 to under 12 months, you need 12 months within the last 36 months.
You file your claim within 3 months of the contract ending, at an Employment Service Center.
You have not found a new job after the waiting period: benefits start from the 11th working day after your complete file is submitted.
If you are still deciding whether to leave, the article on 10 signs you should quit your job can help you think it through first.
How are the benefit amount and duration calculated?
Monthly benefit = 60% x your average UI salary over the 6 consecutive months before you left.
There is a cap: no more than 5 times the regional minimum wage where you worked.
Region | Regional minimum wage (from 1 Jan 2026, VND) | Monthly benefit cap (VND) |
|---|---|---|
Region I | 5,310,000 | 26,550,000 |
Region II | 4,730,000 | 23,650,000 |
Region III | 4,140,000 | 20,700,000 |
Region IV | 3,700,000 | 18,500,000 |
Region I covers some of the largest urban areas; check the appendix of Decree 293/2025/ND-CP for your location.
Benefit duration depends on the total number of months you have paid UI:
Months of UI paid | Months of benefits |
|---|---|
Fewer than 12 | Not eligible |
12 to 36 | 3 months |
Each extra 12 months after 36 | 1 more month |
Long enough | Up to 12 months |
Examples:
Average salary VND 20 million, 50 months paid, Region I: 60% is VND 12,000,000 per month, below the cap. Fifty months includes one extra 12-month block after 36, so you get 4 months. The total is about VND 48,000,000.
Average salary VND 50 million, 30 months paid, Region I: 60% would be VND 30,000,000, above the VND 26,550,000 cap, so you receive the cap. You get 3 months, about VND 79,650,000 in total.
How do you apply, step by step?
Get proof that your job has ended from your employer: a resignation decision, a contract termination notice or an equivalent document.
Make sure your social insurance book has been closed with your UI contribution period. Many people have to wait for the employer to finish this.
Prepare the unemployment benefit application on the Employment Service Center's form, plus your identity documents.
Submit your file at the Employment Service Center where you want to receive the benefit, within 3 months of leaving. Many centers also accept files online through the National Public Service Portal.
Receive the benefit decision and note the date payments start.
Report your job search every month to the Employment Service Center while you receive benefits. If you miss a report, that month's payment may be suspended.
The document list and forms can change with new guidance. Ask the Employment Service Center where you file for the exact list.
Leaving a job also means settling your handover, final pay and tax. The quit your job checklist for Vietnam puts it all in one list.
How to estimate your benefit with Ezlun
The calculator runs in your browser. It is free, needs no account and uses no credits.
Enter your "Average salary (last 6 months)", using the salary you paid UI on.
Enter your "Months of UI contributions", or tap one of the preset values.
Choose the wage region where you worked.
Three inputs: average salary, months of contributions and wage region.
The result shows your monthly benefit, the benefit duration and the total estimated benefit. If 60% of your salary is above the cap, the calculator says the cap is being applied. If you have paid fewer than 12 months, it tells you that you are not yet eligible.
The result includes a reference table that converts months paid into months of benefits.
Who cannot claim unemployment benefits?
You usually cannot claim if you:
Ended your contract unlawfully, for example by leaving without the required notice.
Left your job when you already qualified for a pension.
Have started a new job with insurance at the new employer before benefits begin.
Paid UI for fewer than 12 months in the 24 months before leaving (or 36 months, for a contract of 1 to under 12 months).
Filed more than 3 months after leaving.
If your case is unclear, ask the Employment Service Center or the insurance office where you contributed. If you have just left a job and are working out your salary tax again, read personal income tax deductions in Vietnam.
Limitations of the tool
It only estimates from the numbers you enter. It cannot read your social insurance record and does not check your reason for leaving or your filing deadline.
The average salary must be your UI salary, not your gross salary if the two are different.
The real amount is decided by the Employment Service Center and the insurance authority.
Legal basis: Employment Law No. 74/2025/QH15, Decree 374/2025/ND-CP and Decree 293/2025/ND-CP on regional minimum wages. Information is current as of October 2026. Figures are for reference only; please check official sources. This article and the calculator are not a substitute for legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can I claim if I resign myself?
Yes, as long as you resign lawfully, giving the full notice period in your contract, and you meet the conditions on months paid and the filing deadline. If you walk out without proper notice, you cannot claim.
Where do I file, and how soon after leaving?
At the Employment Service Center where you want to receive benefits, within 3 months of your contract ending. File early: if you miss the deadline, you lose the right to claim this time.
Can I claim while working somewhere else?
No. Unemployment benefits are for people who are out of work. If you find a new job while receiving benefits, you must tell the Employment Service Center and the payments stop.
Can the calculator replace the official decision?
No. Its result is an estimate to help you plan your finances. The official amount and duration are in the decision issued by the competent authority.
Summary
To claim unemployment benefits in Vietnam, you need to leave your job lawfully, have 12 months of UI within the last 24 months and file within 3 months. The benefit is 60% of your average UI salary, capped by region, for at least 3 and up to 12 months.
You can enter your salary and months paid in Ezlun's Unemployment Insurance Calculator to estimate your benefit before you file.
