Quick answer
Vietnam's monthly unemployment benefit is 60% of the average salary you paid unemployment insurance on over your last six contribution months, capped at 5 times the regional minimum wage (VND 26,550,000 in Region I in 2026). 12 to 36 months of contributions give 3 months of benefit, plus one month for every further 12 months, up to 12 months (Employment Law 74/2025/QH15, Article 39). Example: a VND 15 million average and 62 months paid give VND 9 million × 5 months = VND 45 million.
Key points
- Monthly benefit = 60% × the average insured salary of the last six months you paid in before leaving.
- 2026 caps: VND 26,550,000 (Region I), 23,650,000 (II), 20,700,000 (III) and 18,500,000 (IV) a month.
- Benefit months: 3 for 12–36 months paid, one more for each further 12 months, up to 12 (from 144 months).
- You need 12 months paid in the last 24, a lawful end to the contract and a claim filed within 3 months.
- Payment starts on the 11th working day after a complete claim, and you must report your job search every month.
Want a quick answer for an insured salary from VND 6 to 45 million? Vietnam unemployment benefit table by salary
How is Vietnam's unemployment benefit calculated?
This calculator estimates your monthly unemployment benefit (trợ cấp thất nghiệp), how many months you get and the total under Vietnam's 2025 Employment Law, in force since 1 January 2026, and Decree 374/2025/NĐ-CP. Enter the insured salary for your last six months (one average or month by month), the total months you have paid in and your work region; it applies the 60% rate, the regional cap, the month rules and the carry-forward, and reminds you of the filing deadline.
How to estimate your unemployment benefit
- 1
Open the VssID app, go to your contribution history and choose unemployment insurance to see the insured salary for each month and the total months paid.
- 2
Pick “Average” if you know the six-month average, or “Month by month” to enter the last six months you paid in (month 1 is the one closest to your last day).
- 3
Enter the total months paid that have never been used for a claim, then choose the minimum-wage region of your workplace in the last month.
- 4
Read the monthly benefit, the number of months, the total and the breakdown, which shows whether the cap applies.
- 5
Open “Last working day” and enter the date your contract ended to see the filing deadline, then copy the result or share the link.
Months paid and months of benefit (Article 39(2))
| Total months paid | Months of benefit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Under 12 | Not eligible yet | The months still count towards a later claim |
| 12 to 36 | 3 months | No leftover months carried forward |
| 37 – 47 | 3 months | Months above 36 are carried forward |
| 48 – 59 | 4 months | Months above 48 are carried forward |
| 60 – 71 | 5 months | Months above 60 are carried forward |
| 84 – 95 | 7 months | Months above 84 are carried forward |
| 120 – 131 | 10 months | Months above 120 are carried forward |
| 144 or more | 12 months (maximum) | Months above 144 are not carried forward |
Employment Law No. 74/2025/QH15, Article 39(2); carry-forward under Article 8 of Decree 374/2025/NĐ-CP. Each further 12 months in between adds one month.
2026 benefit caps and contribution ceilings
| Region | Minimum wage | Benefit cap / month (5×) | Contribution ceiling (20×) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Region I | VND 5,310,000 | VND 26,550,000 | VND 106,200,000 |
| Region II | VND 4,730,000 | VND 23,650,000 | VND 94,600,000 |
| Region III | VND 4,140,000 | VND 20,700,000 | VND 82,800,000 |
| Region IV | VND 3,700,000 | VND 18,500,000 | VND 74,000,000 |
Swipe sideways to see the whole table →
Regional minimum wages from Decree 293/2025/NĐ-CP, applied from 1 January 2026. The cap uses the minimum wage of the last month you paid in (Article 39(1)); the ceiling is in Article 34(2). Checked 23 October 2026.
Examples
VND 15 million average, 62 months, Region I
60% × 15,000,000 = VND 9,000,000 a month, below the VND 26,550,000 cap. 62 months = 36 (3 months) + 24 (2 more) + 2 left over: 5 months, VND 45,000,000 in total, with 2 months carried forward.
Different salaries, 50 months, Region II
Three months at VND 8 million and the latest three at VND 10 million: average VND 9,000,000, benefit VND 5,400,000 a month. 50 months give 4 months (48 used), VND 21,600,000 in total, 2 months carried forward.
A VND 50 million salary, 10 years in Hanoi (Region I)
60% would be VND 30,000,000, above the cap, so you receive VND 26,550,000 a month. 120 months give 10 months: VND 265,500,000.
Only 11 months paid
Not enough for a claim yet. The 11 months are not lost: they are added to future contributions.
Common mistakes
- Using take-home pay or salary including bonuses.
- The base is the insured salary recorded in VssID or the social insurance book, which many employers set lower than actual pay.
- Counting six calendar months, including unpaid leave.
- It is the last six months you actually paid in. Skip months without contributions and go back further.
- Expecting 6 months of benefit after 24 months of work.
- Anything from 12 to 36 months gives 3 months. Extra months only start after 36, one for each further 12.
- Forgetting the cap.
- However high your salary, the monthly benefit is at most 5 times the regional minimum wage of your last month.
- Filing after the three-month window.
- Late claims are not processed; your contribution time is kept for a future claim instead.
Who qualifies?
Under Article 38 of the 2025 Employment Law, a worker paying unemployment insurance qualifies when all four conditions are met. The law defines a worker as a Vietnamese citizen (Article 2(1)), so foreign nationals on work permits are outside the scheme; check your payslip for the 1% unemployment insurance line before relying on the figure.
- The employment or work contract ended lawfully; not if you quit unlawfully or leave when you already qualify for a pension.
- At least 12 months paid in the 24 months before leaving (12 in 36 months for contracts of 1 to under 12 months).
- A complete claim filed within 3 months of the end of the contract.
- Still without a job covered by compulsory social insurance 10 working days after filing, and not in military service, long-term study, emigration or detention.
Documents, where to file and key dates
Under Article 14 of Decree 374/2025/NĐ-CP you file the request on Form No. 10, proof that the contract ended (resignation decision, termination notice or agreement, an expired contract) and your closed social insurance book. Originals, certified copies or electronic copies are accepted.
File at the public employment service centre where you want to be paid, in person or through the National Public Service Portal. Payment counts from the 11th working day after a complete claim. You must report your job search every month; missing a month suspends that month and missing three in a row ends the benefit.
What changed from the old law?
Under the 2013 law the rate was also 60%, but public-sector staff were capped at 5 times the base salary. From 1 January 2026 everyone uses the regional-minimum cap, the six months are the last six months actually paid (not necessarily consecutive), and payment starts on the 11th working day instead of the 16th.
Glossary
- Unemployment insurance (BHTN)
- Monthly contributions (up to 1% of salary each from worker and employer) that fund the benefit, retraining and job search support.
- Insured salary
- Contract salary plus regular allowances, capped at 20 × the regional minimum wage.
- Regional minimum wage
- The legal minimum monthly wage for each of Vietnam's four regions; VND 3.7–5.31 million in 2026.
- Carry-forward (bảo lưu)
- Months paid but not used for a claim, kept for the next one.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the unemployment benefit in 2026?
60% of the average insured salary of your last six contribution months, capped at VND 26.55 million (Region I), 23.65 million (II), 20.7 million (III) or 18.5 million (IV) a month.
How many months do I get after one year?
12 to 36 months of contributions give 3 months. With a VND 8 million average that is VND 4.8 million × 3 = VND 14.4 million.
What about 5 or 10 years?
60 months give 5 months of benefit and 120 months give 10. The maximum of 12 months needs 144 months (12 years).
Can I claim if I resign?
Yes, if you resign lawfully with the notice required by Article 35 of the Labour Code. Walking out in breach of the law disqualifies you.
How soon must I file?
Within 3 months of the date the contract ended. Enter that date in the calculator to see your deadline.
Is the benefit taxed?
No. It is paid from the unemployment insurance fund and is not taxable income.
Do foreigners get unemployment benefit?
The 2025 Employment Law defines a worker as a Vietnamese citizen (Article 2(1)). Foreign employees with work permits pay social and health insurance but not unemployment insurance, so they cannot claim this benefit.
What happens if I find a job while receiving it?
Tell the employment service centre so the benefit stops. The months you did not receive are carried forward.
Does the calculator store my data?
No. Everything runs in your browser; a shared link holds only the numbers you entered, after the # sign, which is not sent to the server.
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