Ho Chi Minh City has announced a sweeping administrative reform aimed at cutting at least 30% of the time and compliance costs for business-related procedures by the end of 2025.

In official dispatch No. 2891/UBND-HCC, the city’s People's Committee directed all departments, agencies, and local authorities to urgently streamline and simplify administrative procedures. The focus is on reducing both procedural time and financial burden for businesses, which city leaders consider a pressing task.

All agencies must submit their proposed reforms to the city chairman by October 30.

To complement the cost-cutting efforts, the city is also revising its approach to business regulations. Departments have been tasked with reducing pre-approval requirements and increasing post-implementation checks, to create a more open and supportive business environment.

One notable policy shift is the implementation of the “non-territorial” principle for administrative services. Starting this year, departments and local administrative offices must publicly list procedures that can be received and processed regardless of the applicant’s administrative location. These services must be posted both at physical “one-stop” offices and online portals.

The city expects this change to prevent service bottlenecks and improve efficiency in handling citizen and business requests. Departments have until October 30 to finalize and restructure their workflows and digital processes accordingly.

Additionally, the city is accelerating full digitalization. All agencies must move 100% of business-related public services online within 2025. The goal is to deliver consistent, transparent, and seamless services with minimal paperwork, reducing friction for companies and residents alike.

Quoc Ngoc