The Ministry of Home Affairs issued guidance on 23/6 prioritizing four groups of officials for severance packages during government streamlining. These groups include those within five years of retirement; those who do not meet job requirements; those lacking the required qualifications for their current positions; and those whose health prevents them from performing their duties effectively.

The ministry also encouraged retaining high-performing officials with 10 years or more until retirement.

Agencies must promptly process resignation requests from officials and employees, ensuring full benefits. Units must allocate funds for severance payments, and those facing financial difficulties should report to the Ministry of Finance.

As per the Prime Minister's earlier directive, severance payments for those approved for retirement before 30/6 must be completed before that date.

The Ministry of Home Affairs advised that during local government restructuring, officials wishing to resign can be granted permission based on regulations and circumstances.

In dissolving agencies, officials seeking resignation can have their requests reviewed by the head of the unit or reported to higher authorities without performance evaluation.

Civil servants working at Da Nang Administration Center, May 2025. Photo: Nguyen Dong

Civil servants working at Da Nang Administration Center, May 2025. Photo: Nguyen Dong

During restructuring, if staffing levels are below regulations, severance will only be offered to those who do not meet job requirements or commune-level official standards. After the restructuring, these units can recruit new staff, focusing on improving the quality of personnel.

In December 2024, the government issued Decree 178 on policies for officials and armed forces during restructuring. Those within 10 years of retirement age (under normal conditions) or 5 years (in extremely difficult areas) with sufficient social insurance contributions will receive three support packages. Officials with more than two years until retirement who are not eligible for early retirement will receive four packages if they resign. Resigning public employees and workers also receive four similar packages, the fourth being unemployment benefits.

In March, the government issued Decree 67, amending Decree 178 and adding four groups eligible for early retirement during political system streamlining.

After mergers, the country has 28 provinces, 6 centrally-administered cities, and 3,321 communes, wards, and special zones. The estimated budget for severance and early retirement for 18,449 provincial officials is 22,139 trillion VND (approximately 1.2 billion VND/person). 99,700 trillion VND is allocated for commune-level officials. Social insurance payments for those taking early retirement without pension deductions amount to 6,600 trillion VND.

The total estimated budget for severance and early retirement due to administrative mergers from 2025-2030 is 128,480 trillion VND.

Vu Tuan