Vietnam to Fine Overseas Workers Who Overstay or Disappear Abroad, Toughen Penalties on Brokers — Takes Effect September 10
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Vietnam's government issued Decree No. 283/2026/NĐ-CP on July 15, 2026, covering administrative violations related to Vietnamese nationals working overseas under labor contracts. The decree takes effect September 10, 2026. According to reports, workers who illegally remain in a foreign country without justification after their overseas employment contract ends will face administrative fines of 80 to 100 million dong (roughly ¥480,000 to ¥600,000 at exchange rates at the time of reporting). Organizations found responsible for the same violations are generally subject to fines double those imposed on individuals.
New penalties of 80 to 200 million dong (roughly ¥480,000 to ¥1.2 million) have also been introduced for malicious brokers, covering unlicensed worker recruitment and advertising, and inducing workers into illegal overstay or illegal employment. Violations related to overseas employment carry a two-year statute of limitations. The decree is drawing attention as a tightening of enforcement on the sending-country side amid growing concern over Vietnamese workers disappearing or overstaying abroad, including in Japan.
Current status: How the decree will be enforced in practice once it takes effect, and its specific impact on Vietnamese technical intern trainees and specified skilled workers in Japan, remain unclear as of this writing. This article will be updated as further details emerge.
Editorial Perspective
The Technical Intern Training Program is set to be replaced by the new Employment for Skill Development system in April 2027 (related article), and developments like this one can be seen as part of the institutional design process during that transition. Expanding acceptance also requires resolving practical issues such as broker problems in sending countries and building proper oversight systems among accepting employers. For the new system to work as intended rather than merely on paper, it will be important to continue examining how it actually operates once implemented.