Do foreign workers in Vietnam have to participate in health insurance?

Lawyer Nguyen Thu Thuy, YouMe Law Company Limited replied:

Article 1 of the 2008 Health Insurance Law stipulates the scope of regulation and subjects of application as follows:

1. This Law regulates health insurance regimes and policies , including subjects, payment levels, responsibilities and payment methods of health insurance; health insurance card; scope of health insurance benefits; organize medical examination and treatment for health insurance participants; payment of medical examination and treatment costs covered by health insurance; health insurance fund; rights and responsibilities of parties related to health insurance.

2. This law applies to domestic organizations and individuals and foreign organizations and individuals in Vietnam related to health insurance.

3. This law does not apply to business health insurance.

Clause 1, Article 2 of the 2008 Health Insurance Law is amended by Clause 1, Article 1 of the 2014 Revised Health Insurance Law, providing for the interpretation of terms as follows:

1. Health insurance is a form of compulsory insurance applied to subjects prescribed by this Law for health care, not for profit purposes and is implemented by the State.

Clause 1, Article 12 of the 2008 Health Insurance Law is amended by Clause 6, Article 1 of the 2014 Revised Health Insurance Law, regulating subjects participating in health insurance as follows:

1. Groups owned by employees and employers include:

a) Employees working under an indefinite-term labor contract or a labor contract with a term of 3 months or more; The employee is a business manager and receives a salary; officials, civil servants, and public employees (hereinafter collectively referred to as employees);

b) Persons working part-time in communes, wards and towns according to the provisions of law.

Thus, foreign workers working in Vietnam under indefinite-term labor contracts or labor contracts with a term of 3 months or more are eligible to participate in health insurance according to the cited regulations. above.