Time to abolish seniority allowances for teachers
Article 42 of the Law on Teachers (effective from January 1, 2026) stipulates that teachers continue to enjoy teacher seniority allowances until the implementation of salary policy reform for cadres, civil servants, public employees, people's armed forces and employees in enterprises.
Currently, teachers are still entitled to seniority allowance, as stipulated in Decree No. 77/2021/ND-CP. Teachers who are directly teaching and educating and have participated in compulsory social insurance for 5 years (60 months) are entitled to an seniority allowance of 5% of the total current salary, plus leadership position allowance (if any) and excess seniority allowance (if any).
From the 6th year of work onwards, each year with 12 months full will be added 1% seniority allowance, without limiting the maximum rate.
The seniority allowance is paid on the same monthly salary period and is the basis for calculating contributions and enjoying social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance benefits.
Thus, immediately after the salary reform policy is implemented, the seniority allowance for teachers will end.
A principal of a secondary school in Hanoi said that the abolition of the seniority allowance for teachers aims to create more fairness between industries and between teachers with different seniorities, aiming to pay salaries according to job positions and capacity. Thus, young teachers who are new to the profession will have their salaries and monthly income improved. This is a motivation for teachers to stick with and work in the education sector.
Supplementing many allowances and incentives for teachers
According to the Ministry of Education and Training, currently, functional agencies are implementing the development of salary policies according to Resolution No. 27-NQ/TW. In which, the new salary structure design includes: Basic salary (accounting for about 70% of the total salary fund) and preferential allowances by profession (accounting for about 30% of the total salary fund).
The Law on Teachers, effective from January 1, 2026, stipulates that "teachers' salaries are ranked highest in the administrative and non-business salary scale". However, the Law on Teachers does not stipulate specific salary levels, but assigns the Government to specify them.
This means that the time when the teacher's salary policy changes depends on the time the guiding Decree is issued, associated with the roadmap for reforming the general salary policy for cadres, civil servants, and public employees - including teachers.
Regarding the preferential treatment regime, Resolution No. 248/2025/QH15 of the National Assembly has stipulated that vocational preferential allowances are implemented according to the roadmap prescribed by the Government for public preschool and general education institutions.
According to this resolution, the minimum occupational preferential allowance level is 70% for teachers, 30% for employees and 100% for teachers working in border areas, islands, ethnic minority and mountainous areas, areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions.
According to the draft Decree stipulating the salary and allowance regime for teachers, many new types of allowances may be applied from 2026, including: Responsibility allowances, mobile allowances and heavy, hazardous, and dangerous allowances.
Regarding work responsibility allowances, the draft Decree supplements cases eligible for work responsibility allowances including heads/deputy heads of professional groups, heads/deputy heads of departments and equivalents; ethnic minority language teachers in ethnic minority language training departments at higher education institutions; foreign language teachers (except for foreign language teachers); teachers assigned to conduct student counseling work.
The above regulations are aimed at meeting the requirements on responsibility when teachers are assigned the position of head/deputy head of professional group or head/deputy head of subject group; ensuring fairness in the regime of responsibility allowances between ethnic minority language teachers in general education institutions, regularly with ethnic minority language lecturers in higher education institutions; supplementing regulations on work responsibility allowances for teachers assigned to concurrently advise students.
Regarding mobile allowances, the draft Decree supplements cases eligible for mobile allowances, including teachers who are assigned to be assigned, teach inter-schools, and teachers who have to move to teach at school locations or branch offices. This regulation aims to overcome inadequacies such as teachers who are assigned to teach assigned, teach inter-schools, or are transferred to other educational institutions; teachers who have to move between school locations in one educational institution to teach but are not eligible for mobile allowances for days of moving.
See details of how to calculate the types of allowances teachers are entitled to from January 1, 2026 HERE.
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