VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Construction (MoC) has submitted to the Prime Minister a scheme on the housing policy for foreigners in Vietnam.
Nguyen Manh Ha, Head of the Housing Management Agency under MoC, said that a suitable housing policy for foreigners would help have good impacts in many fields.
Could you please tell me about the leasing of accommodations by foreigners in Vietnam in the last time?
It is estimated that from 2004 to 2006, some 81,000 foreigners came to Vietnam to live and work. These include 25,000 people who came to make investment, some 1,600 people worked for foreign representative offices and international institutions, while the other 54,000 people came to work in the fields of health care, education, culture and sports, and economic sectors.
Surveys all showed that the demand of foreigners for leasing houses is very big. Meanwhile, the number of available apartments for leasing still cannot meet the demand both in terms of space area and facilities.
What would you say about the current housing policies applied for foreigners in Vietnam?
The current laws just stipulate the rights and interests of foreign institutions and individuals who run housing investment projects in Vietnam. The laws just cover the foreigners who come to Vietnam to do business in investment projects in accordance with the Investment Law. Meanwhile, other subjects, who also play important roles in stimulating the diplomatic relations between Vietnam and other countries and developing the national economy, have not been mentioned.
They are the diplomats, scientists, experts and engineers who have excellent qualifications and are invited to work in Vietnam, or those who are working for important international institutions like UNDP, WHO, or UNICEF.
If they are allowed to buy houses in Vietnam, they will have stable accommodations in Vietnam for themselves and their families, which will help them work in Vietnam with their minds at peace. Currently, 100% of foreigners have to lease houses when living and working in Vietnam.
Who will be allowed to buy houses in Vietnam?
I have to say that the project submitted by MoC to the Prime Minister will be applied in the trial period. The subjects allowed to buy houses will be limited, and foreigners will have to meet several requirements and follow strict procedures to be eligible to buy houses.
We have proposed that six groups of foreign institutions and individuals should be allowed to buy houses:
1. Foreign direct investors in Vietnam
2. Those who have done good things for Vietnam, who have been awarded with medals by President, Prime Minister, Ministers, or the Vietnam Father Front
3. Culturists, scientists now working in Vietnam
4. High-qualified workers recognised by foreign countries and now working in Vietnam; those who marry Vietnamese citizens now living in Vietnam
5. Those who are recognised by the President as honourary citizens of Vietnam
6. Foreign-invested enterprises which are operational under the Investment Law. The enterprises are allowed to buy houses in Vietnam to lease to their staffs during their working terms in Vietnam
How about the time to implement the project?
We have suggested the implementation duration of 3-5 years. The project will be carried out in localities where there is a big demand by foreigners for accommodation.
If the project is approved, MoC will join forces with relevant ministries and branches to compile the draft decree guiding the implementation of the project, and the implementation time will be in early 2008.
In the case the state does not apply the policy after the trial period, those who bought houses in that period will still have the right to own the bought houses.
(Source: TBKTVN, Viet Nam Net) | 
No comments:
Post a Comment