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Preparing to Work in Vietnam
An expatriate at manager level, who works and resides in Vietnam need to have a valid work permit. In this regard, it is advised that before flying to Vietnam, a non-Vietnamese individual who will join ZSV as a new employee must compile and bring with him the following documentary requirements:
 Visa requirements. A new employee will generally be given a 6-month business visit visa to facilitate entry to Vietnam. During this initial 6-month period, the Company then processes the application for a work permit (if qualified) that will legitimize the new employee’s stay in Vietnam beyond the initial 6-month-period. Details of the entry visa is sent to the new employee who then have to report to the Vietnamese Embassy for the stamping of the visa in the employee’s passport.
The cost of visa processing in the embassy is reimbursed by the company on submission of the official invoice.
Confirming your flight. Generally, where the company has business presence in the country where the new employee is coming from, the local office is requested by the Head Office to purchase the ticket and assist the new employee on matters related to his trip to Vietnam.
In certain cases, however, it is more practical for both the employee and the Company that the employee buys the ticket to be reimbursed on his arrival in Vietnam. In which case, it is important that the new employee confirms, preferably through e-mail, the details of his flight to Vietnam airport pick-up, who will be either a company representative or hotel representative, can be arranged.
 Clearing with Customs in Vietnam. Customs procedures in Vietnam are quick and simple. Just fill out, completely and correctly, the Immigration Arrival Card and the Customs Card that are usually made available by attendants in incoming flight or at the Arrival Hall. Customs require the declaration of the following:
On arrival at the airport. Arrangements for stay in a hotel or company-provided accommodation are made prior to the new employee’s travel to Vietnam. A New Employee Packet is handed to the new employee on his arrival.
The New Employee Packet includes a welcome letter, basic information and instructions on what to expect on the first day including transport arrangements from the hotel to the office for the duration of the employee’s stay in the hotel, and an Individual Orientation and Training Plan.
Vietnamese Embassies in Asia and Oceania
Vietnam is located in the easternmost part of the Indochinese Peninsula and is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to the east.
The country’s total length from north to south is 1,650km. Its width, stretching from east to west, is 600km at the widest point in the north, 400km in the south, and 50km at the narrowest part, in the centre, in Quang Binh Province.
It has a population of over 86 million, which places it as the 13th most populous country in the world.
Climate. The climate in Vietnam varies greatly from north to south. The north has a cool and dry season from November to April and a hot rainy season from May to October. The central coast north of Nha Trang has a similar climate with the winter monsoon bringing cool, wet weather between December and February. The south is hot and humid all year round, especially from February to May. The rainy season lasts from May to November. The central highlands have a similar climate to the south, but it is cooler and temperatures can be freezing in winter. The official peak season in Vietnam is from September to April.
Hanoi has a humid tropical climate, characterised by monsoons, like most of northern Vietnam. Summers, between May and September, are very hot with plenty of rain, while winters, from November to March, are cold and relatively dry. During the transition months of April and October anything is possible, and spring often brings light rain. The hottest month of the year is June. January is the coolest month, usually beset with a cold north-easterly wind.
Time. The time in Vietnam is GMT + 7. This means that Vietnam time is four hours ahead of Saudi Arabia where the Zamil Group Head Office is located. Vietnam is in the same time zone as Bangkok and is one hour earlier than Hong Kong.
The name “Vietnam”
Through the centuries, Vietnam has been called by many different names: Văn Lang during the Hùng Vương Dynasty, Âu Lạc during the An Dương Vương dynasty, Van Xuan during the Anterior Lý Dynasty, Đại Cồ Việt during the Đinh dynasty and Anterior Lê Dynasty. Starting in 1054, Vietnam was called Đại Việt (Great Viet). During the Hồ Dynasty, Vietnam was called Đại Ngu (Hán tự: 太虞). Then, in 1804, King Gia Long planned to use the name of Nam Việt for Vietnam then changed it to Việt Nam. In English, the two syllables were written into one: Vietnam. From 1839 to 1945, Emperor Minh Mạng renamed Việt Nam to Đại Nam (literally "Great South").
"Việt" is the name of the largest ethnic group in Vietnam: the Kinh (người Kinh) and "Nam" means "the South", affirming Vietnam's sovereignty from China (usually called "North country" by the Vietnamese).
A Glimpse of Vietnamese History
Vietnam became a nation-state in the 10th century after being under Chinese control for a thousand years. Several dynasties then emerged along with its geographic and political expansion into Southeast Asia, until it was colonized by the French in the mid-19th century. The French were eventually expelled in the middle of the 1900s, leaving a nation divided politically into two countries that was engaged in a bitterly fought war.
In 1975, a long and bitter war ended and saw the start of the country’s energetic reconstruction efforts. In 1986, it introduced major reforms that brought the nation towards international reintegration. By 2000, it had established diplomatic relations with most nations. Its economic growth had been among the highest in the world in the past decade. These efforts culminated in Vietnam joining the World Trade Organization in 2007 and its successful bid to become a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in 2008.
People
The Vietnamese people, also called "Viet" or "Kinh", account for 86.2 percent of the population. Their population is concentrated in the alluvial deltas and coastal plains of the country. There are more than 54 ethnic minorities throughout the country, but the Kinh are purveyors of the dominant culture. Most ethnic minorities, such as the Muong, a closely related ethnic of the Kinh, are found mostly in the highlands covering two-thirds of the territory. The Hoa (ethnic Chinese) and Khmer Krom are mainly lowlanders. The largest ethnic minority groups include the Hmong, Dao, Tay, Thai, and Nung
Languages in Vietnam
The people of Vietnam speak Vietnamese as a native language. In its early history, Vietnamese writing used Chinese characters. In the 13th century, the Vietnamese developed their own set of characters called Chữ nôm. During the French colonial period, Quốc ngữ, the romanized Vietnamese alphabet used for spoken Vietnamese, which was developed in 17th century by JesuitAlexandre De Rhodes and several other Catholicmissionaries, became popular.
The French language, a legacy of colonial rule, is still spoken by some older Vietnamese as a second language, but is losing its popularity. In recent years, English has become more popular as a second language and the study of English has become a requirement in most schools
Religions
The vast majority of Vietnamese people of Asian religions practice Ancestor Worship, although this may not be strictly considered a religion.
About 85% of Vietnamese identify with Buddhism even though they do not practice on a regular basis . About 8% of the population are Christians (about 6 million Roman Catholics and less than 1 million Protestants, census of 2007).
Membership of Sunni and BashiIslam is usually accredited to the ethnic Cham minority, but there are also a few ethnic Vietnamese adherents of Islam in the southwest. The total number of Muslims remains very small nevertheless.
Random Notes on the Vietnamese Culture
Getting around: Transportation options
While the number of privately-owned automobiles plying the road of Vietnam’s larger cities has significantly multiplied in recent years, motorcycles, bicycles and motor scooters are still the most popular forms of road transport in Vietnam's cities, towns, and villages.
Public bus operated by private companies is the main long distance travel means for many people. Daily flights connect major cities like Hanoi, HCMC, Danang and Haiphong allowing convenient and fast business travel.
Traffic congestion has become a serious problem in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as the cities' roads struggle to cope with the constantly increasing numbers of automobiles.
Other than buses, taxis are readily available in the streets of Hanoi and other cities. It should be noted that as a matter of practice, taxi drivers do not issue fare receipts unless requested.
The xe om is likewise a popular option for short trips especially for areas where access for 4-wheeled vehicles are difficult. Although for the newcomer in Vietnam, this may be a totally new experience as this requires back-riding on a motorcycle. It has to be emphasized that the local authorities in the various cities of Vietnam strictly require the use of helmets when driving or riding the motorcycle as a passenger (as in the xe om.)
Shopping
A wide variety of shopping options are available in Vietnam. A newly arrived ZSV employee would easily find most of his needs in shops, groceries and department stores that are usually very accessible to residential areas. Large supermarkets like the chains of Big-C, Citimart and Metro and upscale shopping centers like Vincom and Parkson have responded and influenced the new and emerging shopping habits of the Vietnamese. Major credit cards are accepted in most places.
VAT (value added tax) which generally range from 5% to 10% are charged depending on the nature of the goods or services. Items considered as luxury can have VAT as high as 20%.
Cash transactions are usually in the local currency, the Dong. Purchases using the US dollar are possible in almost every outlet but the conversion rate may end being lesser than the bank rate. The USD has been valued at VND 16,000 although that has been fluctuating in recent months.
Mobile Phones / Communication
If you have been hired for a job which entitles you to a company-provided mobile phone, your Department will initiate the purchase of the mobile phone unit and the service connection through a reliable provider. There are at least 4 major telcom service providers in Vietnam. For mobile phones on personal account, both the post-paid and pre-paid options are available. You may seek the Administrative Service Unit for advice and assistance in this regard.
The international country code is +84. The outgoing code is 00, followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 001 for the United States or Canada). City/area codes are in use, e.g. Hanoi is (0)4 and Ho Chi Minh City is (0)8. GSM 900 mobile networks cover the major urban areas. Internet cafes are available in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Internet access is often available even in rural areas.
Money and Banking
The monetary unit of Vietnam is the Dong (1 USD is approx. VN 16,000.)
ZSV’s expatriate employees are given the option to nominate a bank as depository of his monthly salary. As over-the-counter money remittance can be very tedious in terms of documentary requirements, employees are advised to open a bank account or advise the Payroll Department of his bank account details in his country of origin, as soon as possible.
To open a new account, the local banks require the individual’s passport and a valid visa.
Most local banks run 24-hour ATM operations. It would, therefore, be advisable to maintain a local bank account for the duration of one’s employment in Vietnam so there is no need to carry cash around all the time. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
