Vietnam is considering the introduction of a dedicated "Vietnam Talent Visa" alongside competitive compensation and other breakthrough policies as part of a national strategy to attract, develop and retain top domestic and international talent in strategic sectors.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra chaired a meeting with ministries and government agencies on July 31 to review a draft National Strategy on Attracting and Developing Talent in Strategic Sectors to support the country's long-term economic growth.

Building a national talent ecosystem

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Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Truong Hai Long presents the draft National Strategy on attracting and developing talent. (Photo: Government Portal)

Presenting the draft proposal, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Truong Hai Long said the strategy is based on Party resolutions and national policies on developing high-quality human resources and nurturing talent.

Although Vietnam has introduced various talent recruitment initiatives in recent years, he said the existing policies remain fragmented, lack coordination and are not sufficiently aligned with national strategic priorities.

Current recruitment mechanisms also rely heavily on general qualifications rather than measurable outcomes, limiting their effectiveness and reducing the public sector's ability to attract leading scientists and highly qualified experts.

The proposed strategy seeks to establish a modern, internationally integrated national talent ecosystem.

By 2030, Vietnam aims to attract and effectively utilize around 1,000 high-level professionals in three priority areas:

Strategic technologies and digital transformation; science, technology and innovation for sustainable development; and other strategic sectors critical to national competitiveness.

By 2045, Vietnam aims to become an attractive destination for leading scientists, experts and talented professionals from both Vietnam and abroad.

Talent Visa and breakthrough incentives

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Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra says attracting talent should extend beyond recruitment into government agencies. (Photo: Government Portal)

The Ministry of Home Affairs has proposed several key policy measures, including institutional reforms and more competitive incentives covering salaries, performance bonuses, housing and healthcare.

Among the proposals is the creation of a "Vietnam Talent Visa", alongside a global Vietnamese talent network designed to connect overseas Vietnamese professionals and international experts with opportunities in Vietnam.

The ministry also recommends granting greater autonomy to talented professionals, simplifying administrative procedures and evaluating performance based on measurable outcomes rather than traditional administrative criteria.

Beyond government recruitment

Concluding the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra described the draft strategy as an ambitious and complex initiative requiring long-term strategic thinking and close alignment with the Party's broader development agenda.

She said Vietnam does not lack talented people but has yet to create an effective system for attracting, utilizing and maximizing their contributions.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, the country's competitive advantage will not come simply from offering the highest salaries, but from designing policies and creating an environment where talented individuals can be identified, trained, recruited, empowered and supported throughout their careers.

"If talented people are recruited but cannot fully develop or apply their abilities, the strategy will fail to achieve its objectives," she said.

She called for the strategy to adopt an ecosystem approach, creating seamless links between talent identification, education, recruitment, deployment, development and long-term retention.

Focus on strategic industries

Pham Thi Thanh Tra said the strategy should prioritize sectors that are essential to Vietnam's competitiveness, self-reliance and long-term national development, with science, technology, innovation and digital transformation at the center.

She also urged policymakers to move away from an administrative approach to talent management toward a development-oriented model that values competence, measurable results and individual contributions.

The strategy, she said, must include concrete legal reforms and practical policy mechanisms capable of building a comprehensive national talent ecosystem rather than simply outlining broad principles.

Vietnam should build on existing policies while embracing greater international integration through more open mechanisms connecting the public and private sectors, as well as domestic and overseas talent networks.

Special attention should be given to attracting overseas Vietnamese professionals and international scientists while encouraging greater participation from the private sector in developing and supporting talent.

The Deputy Prime Minister also stressed that attracting talent should not be viewed solely as recruiting people into government agencies, but as creating opportunities for outstanding individuals to contribute across the entire economy.

Tran Thuong