The Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs has put forward a proposal to increase the maximum allowable working hours for students from 20 to 24 hours per week, updating the previous draft from March.
It suggests that students aged 15 and above, who are enrolled in formal education programmes, should be permitted to work up to 24 hours weekly during their studies, as long as they comply with existing labour laws.

In a significant change, the draft also introduces a mandatory minimum wage for student workers, moving away from the current practice where wages are determined by mutual agreement between employer and employee.

The proposed wage rates would align with the current regional minimums: VNĐ23,800 per hour in Region 1, VNĐ21,200 in Region 2, VNĐ18,600 in Region 3, and VNĐ16,600 in Region 4.

To prevent part-time employment from interfering with their academic responsibilities, students would be required to inform their educational institutions of their employment. The institutions would then be responsible for monitoring and supporting the students during their part-time work.

Students register for part-time jobs at a job fair. — VNA/VNS Photo

Vũ Trọng Bình, director of the Employment Department, said that this proposal was developed after consulting various agencies, including the Ministry of Education and Training and through discussions with students at the Vietnam National University, HCM City.

The goal of the policy is to safeguard students' rights while they work part-time, ensuring they are not exploited and are protected under the law in case of any issues.

“There are concerns that allowing students to work 24 hours per week, or about four hours per day, could impact their studies,” Bình acknowledged, adding that the drafting committee will continue to gather feedback and make careful adjustments to the regulations as needed.

Under the current Labour Law, employees in businesses are restricted to working no more than eight hours per day and 48 hours per week.

The Government also encourages businesses to adopt a 40-hour working week, with overtime limited to 40 hours per month and 200 hours per year.

Thus, the proposed working hours for students would be approximately half of what is allowed for regular workers.

Although there is no comprehensive national study on student employment in Việt Nam, surveys suggest that 70 to 80 per cent of students work part-time to cover their living and study expenses.

Common jobs include working in restaurants, coffee shops, packaging, or distributing flyers, with an average of four to five working hours per day, equating to 28 to 35 hours per week. Wages typically range from VNĐ17,000 to VNĐ20,000 per hour.

Students who work as tutors in subjects like English, Information Technology, or Natural Sciences often earn higher wages, from VNĐ100,000 to VNĐ200,000 per hour.

The revised Employment Law is expected to be presented to the National Assembly for consideration during its end-of-year 2024 session.
Bùi Sỹ Lợi, former Vice Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Social Affairs, is all for the Ministry's legal proposal, adding that it is crucial to issue a guideline to clearly define wage rates for students based on their ages, capabilities and personal needs. While part-time work provides income and skills, we must ensure students will not be paid below the regional minimum wages.

Dương Kim Anh, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Women’s Academy, subscribes to the proposal, pointing out real-world cases where excessive part-time work has led to students nodding off in class, ruining their academic results.

She notes that many universities abroad also cap international students' work hours at 20 per week.

"In addition to the 20-hour cap, we should introduce policies to financially support disadvantaged students," said Anh.

Many students are concerned that the caps would make it difficult for them to cover living expenses and tuition fees.

Nguyễn Hà An, an undergraduate at Vietnam Women's Academy, works five hours a day at a food stall. With about 30 hours worked per week, An earns around VNĐ2.5 million (US$100) monthly. Without working those hours, I wouldn’t earn enough money to cover my expenses.

Nguyễn Đức Nam, an undergraduate at Hanoi University, tutors and waits tables up to 35 hours per week to pay for college. My parents can only provide me with VNĐ3 million ($120) monthly, barely enough for rent and meals.

Đỗ Hoàng Giang, Recruitment Supervisor at Red Circle Company, believes that limiting students’ part-time hours would hinder their ability to earn 

additional income and gain more job experience.

Rather than enforcing strict caps, Giang suggests the Ministry take a flexible approach: recommending the 20-hour weekly guideline for students, but allowing flexibility in how they manage their time.

Vũ Quang Thành, Deputy Director of the Hà Nội Job Service Centre, reveals that most students work out of necessity alongside studies, with some even working unpaid internships to build skills.

"Regulations need flexibility so students can balance studying with gaining professional experience," he said.

Lợi acknowledges that international practices vary, with some countries exempting domestic students from work-hour limits while others have no caps.

"The key is creating opportunities for students to gain experience while ensuring quality studies and well-rounded development," he said.