DOET’s Guidance on Compliance for Education Centers in Ho Chi Minh City

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training has issued comprehensive guidance for foreign language and computer training centers, as well as short-term training institutions with foreign investment capital, regarding post-licensing operational requirements. This legal update outlines 12 key compliance areas that educational service providers (either local or with foreign investment) must adhere to when operating in Ho Chi Minh City.

Legal guidance for foreign investors on compliance requirements for education centers in Ho Chi Minh City.

Vital impact to businesses:

• Compliance monitoring is strict: inactivity for one year may result in suspension.

• Transparency obligations are extensive: public disclosure must be accurate and updated annually.

• Foreign teacher employment requires special care: roles and work permits must align exactly.

• Financial obligations are clear: tuition must be managed transparently with proper reporting.

• Regulatory coordination is key: any operational changes must be registered with DOET.

12 Key Compliance Requirements

1. Educational Activity Organization

• Centers may only commence recruitment and teaching activities after receiving proper licensing from the Department of Education and Training (DOET).

• Must maintain full compliance with prescribed conditions during operations and apply information technology in management.

• Develop internal inspection and self-assessment plans with directors taking full responsibility for institutional activities.

• Critical deadline: Failure to commence operations within 1 year from establishment approval results in suspension. 

• Any changes to location, operational scale, or curriculum require formal amendment registration with DOET.

2. Recruitment, Employment, and Labor Policy Implementation

• Must recruit and employ teachers meeting educator standards.

• Required to execute labor contracts and provide benefits (social insurance, health insurance) in accordance with labor law. 

• Foreign worker employment: Must comply with Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP ensuring work permits match actual job locations, titles, and employment periods.

3. Curriculum and Educational Materials

• Must deliver educational programs strictly according to approved licensing content and report all educational programs and materials to DOET.

• Directors bear legal responsibility for curriculum content and educational materials used at the center. 

• Franchise programs: Must have commercial franchise agreements and ensure comprehensive teacher training for franchised programs (both domestic and international).

4. Physical Infrastructure Conditions

• Must display proper signage matching licensed names and operate at approved locations.

• Must ensure adequate infrastructure, classrooms, functional rooms, and teaching equipment meeting approved program requirements.

• Must maintain compliance with fire safety and prevention regulations.

5. Tuition Fee Collection and Management

• Tuition fees must be collected, managed and utilized according to regulations in Decree No. 81/2021/ND-CP. 

• Transparency requirements: Must publicly disclose training costs, tuition levels, fee increase schedules for each course, quality assurance conditions, and fee exemption/reduction policies during natural disasters, epidemics, or force majeure events.

6. Public Disclosure Implementation

• Must maintain comprehensive public disclosure on education centers’ websites. 

• Required disclosures include: General institutional information (name, address, organizational structure, establishment permits), quality assurance conditions (teaching staff, management personnel, infrastructure, quality assessment results), activity plans and results, financial income/expenditure. 

• Disclosure method: Through institutional electronic information portal ensuring convenient access. 

• Timeline: Must publish all required content before June 30 annually. 

• Retention period: Minimum 5 years from publication date on electronic portal.

7. Training and Development Partnerships

• Centers may establish foreign language training partnerships with other licensed educational centers, based on learner needs and institutional capacity. 

• Contract requirements: Must have formal agreements specifying teaching content, funding, teaching staff, instructional methods, venue locations, and respective responsibilities. The agreements must be reported to DOET. 

8. Foreign Language Proficiency Certification Testing

Centers may only organize foreign language proficiency certification examinations after receiving approval from the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Chairman. 

9. Seal Management and Usage

After receiving establishment permits, centers must complete seal registration procedures.

10. Document Archiving and Record Keeping

Must maintain comprehensive records including: 

• Legal documents: Business registration certificates, establishment permits, approved project proposals. 

• Personnel files: Biographical records, diplomas, certificates, labor contracts, social insurance participation records, Director/Deputy Director recognition decisions. 

• Infrastructure files: Legal proof of land/building usage rights, fire safety inspection reports. 

• Student and professional files: Educational programs, teaching plans, class schedules. 

• Financial records and other relevant documentation.

11. Tax Obligation Compliance

Centers must fulfill all tax obligations according to current regulations.

12. Information Updates and Reporting Requirements

• DOET will provide ID and password for licensed education centers to update information and submit online report portal at https://quanlyncl.hcm.edu.vn 

• Quarterly reporting schedule: Must submit reports from the 20th to 25th of the final month each quarter (i.e. March 25, June 25, September 25, December 25) and ad-hoc reports as requested by competent authorities.

  
  

How We Can Help

At Van Pham LLC, we support foreign investors in the education sector with:

• Licensing and post-licensing compliance with DOET.

• Employment law, work permits, and HR compliance for foreign and local teachers.

• Drafting and reviewing franchise and training partnership contracts.

• Advisory on tuition disclosure, transparency obligations, and tax compliance.

• Ongoing retainer services for quarterly reporting and compliance monitoring.