According to Government Decree 381, issued on 2/10, this allowance will be calculated at 55% of the total current salary, leadership position allowance, and seniority allowance, if applicable.

Commune, ward, and special zone officials currently receiving additional salary or income under provincial or city People's Council resolutions will continue to receive a 25% public service allowance, calculated on the same basis. If their additional salary and income is lower than the 55% public service allowance, they will receive the difference to reach the 55% level.

The decree became effective on 2/10, but the allowance scheme will be applied from 1/7/2026 until salary policy reform is implemented. Individuals eligible for the 55% rate or the difference who received a lower allowance between 1/7 and the decree's effective date will receive retroactive payments for the shortfall.

The public service allowance will be paid monthly alongside the salary and will not be used for social or health insurance contributions.

Periods not eligible for the allowance include: overseas work, assignments, or study while receiving 40% of salary; continuous unpaid leave for one month or more; leave for social insurance benefits; and temporary suspension from work, temporary detention, or custody.

Officials who cease working for Party, State, Vietnam Fatherland Front agencies, or political-social organizations affiliated with the Front at the commune level will no longer receive this allowance.

Officials processing administrative procedures for residents at Thu Duc Ward Public Administration Center, TP HCM, 7/2025. Photo: *Quynh Tran*.

Previously, during a meeting with voters in Lao Cai on 30/9, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra stated that the Central Committee had approved the policy to increase public service allowances for commune-level officials from 25% to 55%.

According to her, this policy stems from the practical demands on commune-level administrations, which directly undertake numerous tasks, handle public affairs, and serve residents within a two-tier local government model. The allowance increase aims to provide further motivation and enhance the accountability of grassroots officials.

The Deputy Prime Minister noted that this new allowance adjustment is part of a comprehensive policy for officials and public servants. The Government is developing a salary and social insurance policy reform project, expected to be submitted to the Central Executive Committee at the 5th plenum of the 14th Central Committee.

Resolution 27 from 2018 aimed to establish salary scales based on job positions, titles, and leadership roles, replacing the calculation method based on base salary and coefficients. The initial roadmap was set for 7/2021 but was postponed due to Covid-19 and various complications.

The National Assembly subsequently decided to implement a comprehensive salary policy reform from 7/2024. However, replacing the base salary and coefficient system with new salary scales and reorganizing allowance schemes has not yet been carried out.

While the policy is being finalized, the base salary increased from 1,8 million VND to 2,34 million VND per month from 7/2024, and to 2,53 million VND from 7/2026. With the current base salary, officials' salaries range from 3,4-25,3 million VND per month, and public employees' salaries from 3,8-20,2 million VND, excluding allowances.

Regarding leadership position allowances: the chairman of the commune-level People's Committee in Hanoi and TP HCM receives a coefficient of 0,7; the vice chairman 0,6; the head of a commune-level People's Committee department 0,35; and the deputy head of a specialized department 0,2. In other localities, the corresponding coefficients are: 0,6; 0,5; 0,25; and 0,15.

Vu Tuan