Fresh policies take effect from January 2023

Higher retirement age of female workers

Under the 2019 Labor Code and Decree 135/2020/ND-CP, the retirement age for male workers  and female workers shall be increased by three and four months respectively.

Accordingly, in 2023, the retirement age for male workers in normal labor conditions is 60 years old and nine months and that of female workers in normal labor conditions is 56 years old. 

Household registration book is no longer used

In pursuant to the new Law on Residence, new household books and/or temporary residence books will not be issued to citizens registering for permanent and/or temporary residence. However, the validity of these two documents is still maintained until January 1, 2023.

Besides, the residence registry will update information about the new temporary and/or permanent residence period of the registered citizens to the residence database.

The abolition of household registration books was simply a shift from paper management to online residence registration, and household registration books will only be removed after the new national population database is put into use.

The household registration and its certificate, or the book, ho khau in Vietnamese, has been used since the 1960s as an instrument of public security, economic planning, and population management. Every citizen must register for a permanent residence at one address.

Law on Intellectual Property

The Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Intellectual Property takes effect from January 1, 2023. 

There are grounds to believe that the applicant does not have the right to register subject matters of industrial property or register the mark with bad intentions.

Mobile police force’s rights

Law on Mobile Police Force 2022 with contents which are amended and supplemented takes effect on January 1, 2023.

Mobile police forces are allowed to use weapons, explosives, supporting tools, and technical-professional means and equipment in accordance with Article 15 of this Law.

They have the right to carry weapons, explosives, supporting tools, and technical-professional means and equipment into airports or on-board civilian aircraft to perform tasks and handle administrative violations in accordance with the law on handling administrative violations.

Cinema can refuse audiences

The Law on Cinematography 2022 takes effect on January 1, 2023.

The Law emphasizes that cinema establishments can refuse to serve audiences who use banned substances or stimulants; bring weapons, flammable and explosive materials, radioactive substances, toxic substances, banned substances or stimulants into cinemas; cause disturbance or disorder at cinemas.

Cinematic establishments shall be responsible to offer exemption from or reduction of ticket prices for the elderly, people with disabilities, people with meritorious services to the revolution, children, people in extremely difficult circumstances and other subjects.

Refusal to insurance businesses

The Law on insurance business takes effect on January 1, 2023.

The new Law regulates the organization and operation of insurance business, rights and obligations of organizations and individuals participating in insurance, and state management of insurance business activities.

With respect to types of insurance, the new Law classifies insurance into three types according to international practices, namely life insurance, non-life insurance and health insurance.

Regarding compulsory insurance, the new Law abolishes insurance for civil liability of air carriers for passengers, which must comply with the Viet Nam Civil Aviation Law and international practices. 

It also removes insurance on professional liability in legal consulting activities and insurance on professional liability for insurance brokers that suffer risks not greatly affecting public interests and social safety.

The new Law also sets requirements on setting aside of technical reserves and gives new provisions on capital adequacy ratio, foreign holding cap, management of risks, capital and solvency, information disclosure, and dispute resolution./.