Vietnam issues new professional allowances for medical personnel

Vietnam has issued Decree No. 350/2026/ND-CP, signed by Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra, establishing professional incentive allowance regimes for medical personnel. The decree outlines the principles, calculation methods, and eligible recipients for these allowances.

Eligible individuals include public officials and contract workers in sectors such as disease prevention, medical examination, rehabilitation, traditional medicine, pharmacy, food safety, medical equipment, forensic medicine, population, and social protection. It also covers medical staff at commune-level health stations, school medical staff in public educational institutions, and medical professionals within the armed forces.

The allowances are calculated as a percentage of the current salary coefficient plus leadership position allowances and seniority allowances. These payments are made monthly alongside regular salaries and are not used to calculate social insurance contributions.

Specific allowance rates include an 80% rate for those directly involved in treating mental health patients, forensic medicine, intensive care, and emergency services, as well as medical staff at commune-level stations in border, island, or disadvantaged mountainous areas. A 70% rate applies to other specific medical professional roles. While the decree took effect on September 9, 2026, the specified allowance levels are retroactive to January 1, 2026.