Conditions for Receiving Unemployment Benefits from 2026 Under the Employment Law 2025

Unemployment insurance is designed not only to provide financial support to workers who lose their jobs, but also to help them re-enter the labor market sooner. In line with this, unemployment policy has been structured to clarify eligibility conditions and application procedures for unemployment benefits.

Eligibility conditions for unemployment benefits from 2026

According to Ms. Tran Thi Thu Ha, Deputy Head of the Social Insurance Regime Department at Hanoi Social Insurance, under the Employment Law 2025, workers must meet all of the following conditions to be eligible for unemployment benefits:

• Job loss circumstances: termination of the labour contract or working contract, or leaving work under the law. This does not apply to cases where the worker unilaterally terminates the labour contract illegally under the Labour Code, or resigns when eligible for a pension.
• Unemployment insurance contribution time: at least 12 months of contributions within the 24 months prior to termination.
• Fixed-term contract cases (1 month to under 12 months): contribution time must be at least 12 months within the 36 months before termination.

Unemployment benefits dossier requirements

Under Decree No. 374/2025/ND-CP, the unemployment benefits application dossier includes three basic components:

• a) Application for unemployment benefits (using the prescribed form), which expresses the worker’s desire to receive unemployment benefits upon meeting eligibility conditions.
• b) Documents confirming termination of the labour contract or employment, which may include the labour contract or fixed-term contract that has expired or been completed; decisions to terminate or dismiss; notice or agreement to terminate; or an employer confirmation letter stating the worker’s information, contract type, reason for termination, and termination date. For fixed-term contracts from 1 month to under 12 months, the termination confirmation must be the original or a certified copy of the signed contract.
• c) Social insurance book, with the Social Insurance Authority responsible for confirming unemployment insurance contribution time and returning the social insurance book to the worker within the time limit used to determine entitlement.

Submission timeline and submission channels

Workers must submit the dossier within 3 months from the date of termination, provided they are not yet employed and wish to receive unemployment benefits. Submission can be made directly at the local job service center or via the National Public Service Portal.

If difficulties arise due to illness, maternity, accident, natural disaster, epidemic, or other force majeure events, the dossier may be submitted through an authorized person or by postal service.

Reserving unemployment insurance benefits in five cases

Experts noted that if a worker has not yet received unemployment benefits, they may reserve entitlement in five cases:

1. Contribution duration: total unemployment insurance contribution time is more than 36 months up to 144 months, with benefits received but remaining contribution time not yet processed.
2. Cancellation of decision: the decision to receive unemployment benefits is canceled; all contributed time but not yet benefited will be reserved for the next entitlement.
3. Entitlement ended: the worker currently receiving unemployment benefits has entitlement terminated under applicable regulations.
4. Failure to claim after entitlement expiry: the worker does not come to receive unemployment benefits after 3 months from expiry of entitlement, without notifying the Social Insurance authority.
5. Additional contribution time confirmed: the worker is confirmed by the Social Insurance Authority to have additional contribution time after benefits have ended.