The draft introduces entirely new principles, diverging from traditional public service regulations to create a flexible and substantive mechanism.
Under the draft, chief engineers and chief architects will work under fixed-term contracts, not counted within the allocated staffing quotas of agencies or organizations. This is a fundamental change to enable the application of special incentive regimes. Civil servants or public employees selected for these roles will temporarily cease their current duties to operate under the mechanisms of this decree. Upon task completion, they may be considered for reassignment to civil servant or public employee positions.
The decree emphasizes standards based on experience, practical achievements, leadership capabilities and minimizing administrative criteria. The chief engineer position requires significant international expertise and experience, such as having successfully led at least three large-scale, interdisciplinary science and technology programs with high, internationally recognized impact.
Moreover, chief engineers have managed or directly coordinated programs or projects with funding of at least VND300 billion (or VND500 billion for infrastructure or core technology sectors) with the ability to design and coordinate large-scale, complex programs. Last but not least, chief engineers must have experience in building multi-level, multi-disciplinary management models.
The chief architect position requires at least seven years of experience in relevant fields, with outstanding contributions demonstrated through high-value practical works or products; having led or played a key role in successfully implementing at least two science and technology programs or tasks with broad impact (inter-regional or interdisciplinary); and possessing strategic, systematic thinking and the ability to lead technological or innovative visions at an industry or national level.
In return, those who meet the requirements will receive special, competitive, and exceptional incentives, marking the most groundbreaking aspect of the Decree to attract top experts both domestically and internationally.
- For talents outside the political system (domestic experts, overseas Vietnamese, or foreigners): They will receive salaries and income as agreed in their contracts, ensuring no less than their current earnings.
- For civil servants and public employees: chief engineers will be classified as top-tier senior experts (equivalent to a Minister’s rank), and chief architects will be classified as first-tier senior experts while also receiving additional income as agreed to ensure equivalence with those outside the political system.
Eligible personnel will be exempt from personal income tax on salaries, bonuses, and income related to science and technology. They will receive bonuses of up to 20 percent of their total salary for outstanding task completion and up to 10 percent for good performance. They will also be provided with official housing, transportation, and working conditions equivalent to those of a minister (for chief engineers); access to healthcare and insurance packages for themselves and their families (spouse and children); support for their children’s schooling and tuition fees; and assistance in finding employment for their spouse.
Individuals outside the political system who complete their tasks outstandingly may be considered for recruitment as civil servants or public employees and appointed to leadership or management positions without needing to meet standard conditions (such as years of service or prior designation in career planning).
