Ministry of Home Affairs proposes 5 outstanding policies and regimes for senior experts

The Ministry of Home Affairs said it is drafting a decree regulating the regime and policies for senior experts to institutionalize the Party's policy on building outstanding policies for senior experts at central advisory agencies.

Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW2 sets out regulations on the framework of mechanisms and preferential policies to discover, attract and promote talents with focus and key points, especially in key industries and fields serving rapid and sustainable development.

Develop a national strategy on attracting and utilizing talents without distinction between party members or non-party members, Vietnamese people at home or abroad. At the same time, identify one of the five breakthroughs as having mechanisms and policies to create fair and healthy competition and attract and utilize talents.

Resolution No. 45-NQ/TW of the 8th Central Conference of the 13th tenure on continuing to build and promote the role of the intellectual team to meet the requirements of rapid and sustainable national development in the new period also mentioned having breakthrough mechanisms and policies to attract and promote intellectuals, especially elite intellectuals, leading experts and talents of the country; "timely discovering domestic talents and Vietnamese people abroad."

In reality, policies and regimes for senior experts have been issued through many stages and have not been revised or completed.

From 2004 to present, only salary regime has been implemented (salary table for senior experts has 3 levels, from 8.80; 9.40; 10.00), service allowance, health care, other regimes are no longer applied.

There is no breakthrough policy to attract and develop a team of senior experts to meet the requirements, especially those working outside the public sector, good experts, and prestigious scientists abroad.

In July 2024, the Secretariat issued Regulation No. 180-QD/TW on senior experts, assigning the Government to issue regulations on regimes and policies for senior experts and guidelines on the use of senior experts who are foreigners and Vietnamese people abroad.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, this policy applies to cadres, civil servants, and public employees appointed as senior experts; people working outside the political system (including retirees, overseas Vietnamese, or foreigners) selected as senior experts to work in the following agencies: Central Organization Committee, Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Committee, Central Internal Affairs Committee, Central Policy and Strategy Committee, Central Inspection Commission, Central Party Office, Office of the President, Government Office, and National Assembly Office.

Accordingly, there are 5 regimes and policies for senior experts. Regarding salary policy, cadres, civil servants and public employees when appointed to the position of senior expert are classified according to the regulations in the senior expert salary table issued together with Decree No. 204/2004/ND-CP of the Government on salary regime for cadres, civil servants, public employees and armed forces; are entitled to an additional allowance equal to 150% of the current salary (including the salary level according to the senior expert salary coefficient and salary allowances according to the provisions of law).

Additional allowances are not used to calculate compulsory social insurance and health insurance contributions.

Along with that, they are also given a salary increase ahead of schedule or a salary increase of one level if they have outstanding achievements in performing their duties recognized by competent authorities according to the provisions of law.

People working outside the political system or retired people who are not on the payroll of agencies and organizations in the political system (including Vietnamese people living abroad or foreigners) who are appointed to the position of senior expert are entitled to an agreed salary level but not lower than the salary level of level 1 senior expert plus additional allowances as prescribed for cadres, civil servants and public employees appointed to the position of senior expert.

They also receive salary increases as agreed if they have outstanding achievements in performing their duties as recognized by competent authorities.

The choice of the form of labor contract, the agreed contents in the contract and the remuneration for senior experts are decided by the head of the agency employing the senior expert based on the work requirements, capacity and contribution of the senior expert. Regarding the policy on working conditions, senior experts are arranged with human resources, material resources, equipment and working means to effectively carry out the assigned tasks.

In necessary cases, resources and special equipment will be invested to implement the contents of programs, projects, topics, and scientific research works that have been assessed as feasible by competent authorities and proposed for practical application.

At the same time, they are paid all expenses according to the standards applied to the position of minister when going on business trips or attending seminars domestically and abroad if they are directly related to the implementation of programs, projects, and scientific tasks assigned by competent authorities. They are entitled to other incentives according to the agreement with the agency employing senior experts according to the provisions of law.

Regarding housing policy, senior experts are given priority to rent official houses according to the norms applied to the position of minister or borrow money to buy a house to live in, build a new house or repair a house to live in under the guarantee of the agency employing senior experts from the Social Policy Bank with preferential interest rates according to the Government's regulations. They are arranged official houses according to the regulations of competent authorities if they have made important contributions to the country.

Senior experts are arranged for a 7-day domestic vacation with their family (no more than 5 people). The employing agency is responsible for arranging and paying for the annual vacation for senior experts according to regulations.

Senior experts are Vietnamese people living abroad or foreigners who are facilitated by competent authorities to simplify documents and be granted visas, residence permits, and work permits in Vietnam.

Family members of senior experts (including father, mother, wife or husband, biological children, adopted children under 18 years old) are facilitated and supported by local authorities and competent agencies in procedures when seeking jobs and enrolling and studying at educational and training institutions in Vietnam.

Senior experts and family members as prescribed above are granted multiple-entry visas or temporary residence cards with a duration corresponding to the period of signing the labor contract with the Central advisory agency as prescribed in the draft Decree.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said that the employment of senior experts who are Vietnamese people living abroad or foreigners must be specifically stated in the labor contract signed with the senior expert, ensuring compliance with the provisions of the law on the employment of foreign workers in Vietnam and the working regulations of the agency employing the senior expert.