Vietnam's Ministry of Home Affairs says students graduating top of their class from domestic universities qualify as a group eligible for consideration under the country's talent attraction policy, without an additional personal achievement being a prerequisite for that classification.

The ministry issued the clarification in response to a question about whether a valedictorian from a Vietnamese higher education institution who does not have the additional individual achievements specified in Point b, Clause 2, Article 4 of Government Decree 179/2024 is still eligible for consideration under the talent attraction policy.

The questioner, identified as C.V.H., also asked whether a recruiting agency could require a valedictorian to have such additional individual achievements before being considered for recruitment under the policy.

In response, the Ministry of Home Affairs cited Clause 2, Article 4 of Decree 179/2024, which sets out policies for attracting and retaining talented people to work in agencies and organizations of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the State, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations.

Under the provision, one of the groups eligible for consideration comprises students who graduate as valedictorians from higher education institutions in Vietnam, or who graduate with honors or higher from prestigious universities abroad whose degrees and certificates are recognized as equivalent under Vietnamese law.

Candidates must also be within the age range stipulated in Article 1 of the Law on Youth at the time they submit their recruitment applications.

The ministry therefore determined that students graduating as valedictorians from Vietnamese higher education institutions constitute one of the groups specified in Clause 2, Article 4 of Decree 179/2024.

The regulation treats graduating as a valedictorian as a separate criterion for determining eligibility under the talent attraction framework.

However, falling within one of the groups covered by the decree does not mean a candidate is automatically recruited or automatically entitled to all benefits under the policy.

The Ministry of Home Affairs cited Clause 1, Article 5 of Decree 179/2024, which provides that the head of the competent management authority specified in Article 59 of the Law on Cadres and Civil Servants decides on the selection of talented individuals and the application of relevant policies to those working in agencies, organizations and units under their management.

The head of the agency is also responsible for effectively managing and using allocated funding to implement the policies in line with their stated objectives.

The selection of candidates and application of talent policies therefore remain subject to decisions by the heads of competent authorities in accordance with the regulations.

The ministry advised C.V.H. to contact the competent civil servant recruitment authority for consideration, guidance and resolution in accordance with Article 21 of Decree 179/2024.

In summary, Decree 179/2024 identifies graduates who finish top of their class at domestic universities as a group eligible for consideration under Vietnam's talent attraction policy. Actual recruitment and the specific policies granted to an individual remain subject to review and decisions by the competent authority within its management responsibilities.

Vu Diep