Sending a question to Vietnam Social Security, reader T.T said: "I was born in July 1974, have 15 years of working in heavy, hazardous, and dangerous jobs (level 1 phi thoại exploitation): 1. 1. 2001 - 31. 12. 2015.
During the 15 years, the company fully paid social insurance for me for 14 years and 3 months, the remaining 9 months (July 1, 2002 - October 31, 2002 and August 1, 2007 - December 31, 2007) I took maternity leave in accordance with regulations.
I would like to ask, with the above time, do I have enough conditions for 15 years of working in heavy, hazardous, and dangerous jobs to retire in August 2026? Or in those 15 years, only 14 years and 3 months are counted, minus 9 months of maternity leave?
Regarding this issue, Vietnam Social Security answers as follows:
Point b, Clause 1, Article 12 of Circular No. 12/2025/TT-BNV dated June 30, 2025 of the Minister of Home Affairs stipulates the time working in heavy, hazardous, dangerous or especially heavy, hazardous, dangerous professions or working in areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions, including the time working in places with regional allowances with a coefficient of 0.7 or higher before January 1, 2021 or working in underground coal mining as follows:
For employees who are working in heavy, hazardous, dangerous or especially heavy, hazardous, dangerous professions or working in areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions who retire to enjoy maternity benefits and the time to enjoy maternity benefits is counted as compulsory social insurance contribution time, this time is counted as the time working in a profession, work or working in areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions.
According to information provided by Ms. T, she had a period of working as a telephone operator (level 1 telephone operator) from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2015, during which she took maternity leave (2 times) for 9 months and this period is considered compulsory social insurance contribution time, then the period of enjoying maternity leave benefits is considered a period of working as a heavy, hazardous, dangerous or especially heavy, hazardous, dangerous job.
Retirement subjects and conditions
Point b, Clause 1, Article 64 of the 2024 Law on Social Insurance stipulates that employees who quit their jobs with a compulsory social insurance contribution period of 15 years or more are entitled to a pension if they fall into the following cases:
b) Being old enough to retire according to the provisions of Clause 3, Article 169 of the Labor Code and having a total compulsory social insurance contribution period of 15 years or more when working in heavy, hazardous, dangerous or especially heavy, hazardous, dangerous occupations and jobs under the list of heavy, hazardous, dangerous or especially heavy, hazardous, dangerous occupations and jobs promulgated by the Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs or working in areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions, including working time in places with regional allowances with a coefficient of 0.7 or higher before January 1, 2021".
Clause 2, Clause 3, Article 169 of the 2019 Labor Code stipulates the retirement age as follows:
2. The retirement age of workers in normal working conditions is adjusted according to a roadmap until reaching 62 years old for male workers in 2028 and 60 years old for female workers in 2035.
Since 2021, the retirement age for workers in normal working conditions is 60 years and 03 months for male workers and 55 years and 04 months for female workers; after that, it increases by 03 months each year for male workers and 04 months for female workers.
3. Employees with reduced working capacity; doing particularly heavy, hazardous, dangerous professions and jobs; doing heavy, hazardous, dangerous professions and jobs; working in areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions may retire at a lower age but not exceeding 05 years compared to the provisions of Clause 2 of this Article at the time of retirement, unless otherwise provided by law".
Comparing the above regulations and according to the information provided by Ms. T, she is a female worker born in July 1974 with 15 years of experience in heavy, hazardous, and dangerous work, so she is eligible to receive a pension from August 2026.
