Nearly 80,000 public employees receive benefits after early retirement
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, around 100,000 public employees will leave public service due to restructuring, including about 85,000 early retirees, from 2025 to 2027,
THE HANOI TIMES — Nearly 80,000 public employees who resigned or took early retirement under Vietnam’s administrative restructuring had received pension and social insurance benefits by the end of November, according to Vietnam Social Security (VSS).
Locals at an administrative office in Hanoi. Photo: Pham Hung/The Hanoi Times
The agency said on December 19 that it had completed benefit payments for individuals leaving public service under Decrees 177 and 178, which regulate workforce streamlining. The payments were financed by the Social Insurance Fund, though VSS did not disclose the total amount.
Decree 178/2024 outlines policies for officials, civil servants, public employees and armed forces members who take early retiirement as part of the organizational restructuring. Decree 177/2024 applies to officials who were not reappointed or who voluntarily resigned or retired.
Under the Decree 178, individuals who are up to 10 years below the statutory retirement age under normal conditions, or up to five years below the threshold in disadvantaged areas, and who meet mandatory social insurance requirements may retire early without pension reductions. They are also entitled to a one-time allowance covering the early retirement period.
Officials who remain more than two years from retirement age and do not qualify for early retirement may access four support measures if they resign. These include severance pay, an allowance equal to 1.5 months’ salary for each year of contribution, options to preserve or withdraw social insurance and a three-month job-search allowance.
Public employees and workers receive similar support, while the Unemployment Insurance Fund provides unemployment benefits.
After restructuring, Vietnam’s two-tier local government system includes nearly 92,000 provincial-level officials and about 199,000 commune-level staff.
The Ministry of Home Affairs estimates that from 2025 to 2027, around 100,000 public employees will leave public service due to restructuring, including about 85,000 early retirees.
