In a bid to lure more foreign and overseas Vietnamese scientists and technologists to participate in science and technology development projects in Vietnam, the Government on September 22 issued Decree No. 87/2014/ND-CP, stipulating preferential policies for these experts.
Specifically, foreign and overseas Vietnamese scientists and technologists will soon be granted multiple-entry visas or temporary residence cards of a longer term.
Visas and residence cards will also be granted to scientists’ family members, including parents, spouses and under-18 children.
In addition, foreign and overseas Vietnamese experts holding medals or honorable titles granted by the Vietnamese State will be considered for grant of permanent residence cards.
During their stay in Vietnam, they will receive support to find appropriate accommodations, jobs and research opportunities in academic institutions.
Foreign and overseas Vietnamese experts will be able to work for science and technology agencies and supervise the innovation process. They will also enjoy simplified procedures for obtaining work permits.
To be eligible for these preferential policies, an expert needs to have developed patents and plant varieties that are protected by the intellectual property law and matched with his scientific and technological missions in Vietnam; have excellent scientific and technological researches that are consistent with his scientific and technological missions in Vietnam; have a PhD diploma; or have been working for over three years for an international cooperation project on science and technology or a research department of a prestigious overseas firm.
In some cases, an expert who does not meet the above requirements may still be considered by the Ministry of Science and Technology, other ministries and the Prime Minister for enjoyment of preferential policies, based on his employers’ needs.
The new regulation will take effect on November 10.-
