Circular No. 01/2026/TT-BNV guiding the determination of salary grade for persons recruited as civil servants

CIRCULAR

Guidelines on salary classification for persons recruited as civil servants

Pursuant to Decree No. 25/2025/NĐ-CP dated February 21, 2025 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Home Affairs;

Pursuant to Decree No. 170/2025/NĐ-CP dated June 30, 2025 of the Government stipulating recruitment, utilization, and management of civil servants; On the proposal of the Director of the Civil Servant and Public Official Department;

The Minister of Home Affairs issues this Circular guiding salary classification for persons recruited as civil servants.

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of regulation, applicable subjects

1. This Circular guides salary classification for persons recruited as civil servants who have worked with mandatory social insurance contributions as stipulated in Article 20 of Decree No. 170/2025/NĐ-CP dated June 30, 2025 of the Government stipulating recruitment, utilization, and management of civil servants.

2. This Circular applies to persons recruited as civil servants as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 1 of the Civil Servants Law No. 80/2025/QH15.

Article 2. Principles of salary classification

1. Salary classification must be based on the working period in accordance with the provisions of the law, consistent with the requirements of professional qualifications and expertise of the position being recruited, with mandatory social insurance contributions (if not continuous but not yet receiving one-time social insurance benefits, then accumulated). Persons must be assigned to work in positions corresponding to their previous professional qualifications and expertise. Working periods with mandatory social insurance contributions that do not meet the requirements of professional qualifications and expertise of the position being recruited shall not be considered as a basis for salary classification at the corresponding civil servant rank according to the recruited position.

2. The competent authority for recruitment shall determine the working period with mandatory social insurance contributions in accordance with the law for positions corresponding to the requirements of professional qualifications and expertise of the recruited position to classify salaries for persons recruited as civil servants.

Article 3. Salary classification for persons recruited as civil servants who have been classified under the salary tables for cadres, civil servants, and public officials

The salary classification for persons recruited as civil servants who have been classified under the specialized and professional salary tables for cadres, civil servants, and public officials in state agencies and state-owned public institutions (Tables 2 and 3) issued together with Decree No. 204/2004/NĐ-CP dated December 14, 2004 of the Government on the wage system for cadres, civil servants, public officials, and armed forces (hereinafter referred to as Decree No. 204/2004/NĐ-CP), amended and supplemented by Decree No. 76/2009/NĐ-CP dated September 15, 2009, Decree No. 14/2012/NĐ-CP dated March 7, 2012, Decree No. 17/2013/NĐ-CP dated February 19, 2013, and Decree No. 117/2016/NĐ-CP dated July 21, 2016 shall be as follows:

1. In cases where recruitment is made to a position with the same grade coefficient as the one already enjoyed, the salary grade and percentage of seniority allowance above the ceiling (if any) currently enjoyed (including time for subsequent salary grade promotion or seniority allowance if any in the old grade) shall be transferred to the grade coefficient corresponding to the recruited position. The new salary period starts from the date of the decision on salary classification for the recruited position.

2. In cases where recruitment is made to a position with a different grade coefficient than the one already enjoyed

a) In cases where no seniority allowance has been enjoyed: Based on the current grade coefficient enjoyed, the person shall be classified into the nearest grade coefficient (higher or lower) in the recruited civil servant grade. The new salary period starts from the date of the decision on salary classification for the recruited position; the time for subsequent salary grade promotion shall be calculated as follows:

For cases where the person is classified into the nearest higher grade coefficient: If the difference between the newly classified grade coefficient and the previously enjoyed grade coefficient is equal to or greater than the difference between two consecutive grade coefficients in the old grade, it shall be calculated from the date of the decision on salary classification for the recruited position; if it is less than the difference between two consecutive grade coefficients in the old grade, it shall be calculated from the date of the current grade coefficient in the old grade.

For cases where the person is classified into the nearest lower grade coefficient: It shall be calculated from the date of the current grade coefficient in the old grade.

b) In cases where a seniority allowance is currently enjoyed: Based on the total grade coefficient including the seniority allowance currently enjoyed, the person shall be classified into the nearest grade coefficient (higher or lower) in the recruited grade. The new salary period starts from the date of the decision on salary classification for the recruited position; the time for subsequent salary grade promotion shall be calculated as specified in point a of this clause.

c) In cases where the grade coefficient enjoyed or the total grade coefficient including the seniority allowance enjoyed is higher than the highest grade coefficient in the recruited grade, the person shall be classified into the highest grade coefficient in the recruited grade and enjoy an additional retention coefficient to match the grade coefficient or the total grade coefficient including the seniority allowance enjoyed. The new salary period (including the retention coefficient) and the time for enjoying the seniority allowance shall be calculated from the date of the decision on salary classification for the recruited position.

The retention coefficient (rounded to two decimal places) shall be enjoyed throughout the civil servant grade period. Thereafter, if the civil servant is reassigned to a position with a higher grade in terms of professional qualifications and expertise, the retention coefficient shall be added to the current grade coefficient to classify the salary into the new civil servant grade and cease to enjoy the retention coefficient from the date of salary classification in the new civil servant grade.

Article 4. Salary classification for persons recruited as civil servants who have been classified under military ranks, service ranks of the armed forces, cipher ranks, professional soldiers, police technical officers, and cipher personnel classified under cipher technical salaries

Military officers and non-commissioned officers of the armed forces classified under military ranks and service ranks, and cipher personnel classified under cipher ranks or professional soldiers, police technical officers, and cipher personnel classified under cipher technical salaries when recruited as civil servants shall have their salary classification into the corresponding civil servant grade according to the recruited position carried out in accordance with the guidelines in Clause 6, Clause 7 Section III of Circular No. 79/2005/TT-BNV dated August 10, 2005 of the Minister of Home Affairs guiding the transfer of salary classification for cadres, civil servants, and public officials when changing jobs and cases of transfer from the armed forces, cipher services, and state-owned companies to work in state agencies and state-owned public institutions.

Article 5. Salary classification for persons recruited as civil servants who have not yet been classified according to the salary scale prescribed by the State.

In cases where there is a period of work with mandatory social insurance contributions in accordance with the provisions of the law and which do not fall under the categories specified in Articles 3 and 4 of this Circular, the salary classification for the corresponding civil service rank based on the position recruited shall be carried out according to the specialized and vocational salary scale for cadres and civil servants in state agencies (Table 2) issued together with Decree No. 204/2004/ND-CP as follows:

1. In cases of recruitment to positions classified at the Senior Specialist and equivalent ranks, and Principal Specialist and equivalent ranks, which require work experience.

Based on the total period of work determined by the competent authority recruiting, which is consistent with the requirements of the professional qualifications and skills of the position classified at the Senior Specialist and equivalent ranks, and Principal Specialist and equivalent ranks, after deducting the period of work with mandatory social insurance contributions corresponding to the required work experience for the recruited position, the remaining period will serve as the basis for salary classification at the corresponding civil service rank based on the recruited position as follows: Starting from Level 1, every three-year period (36 months) thereafter, the salary level will be increased by one grade. After converting the time to be classified into a salary level, if there are months that do not reach 36 months, these months will be counted towards the time for the next salary grade increase review or for consideration of seniority allowance beyond the framework (if applicable).

2. In cases of recruitment to positions classified at the Specialist and equivalent ranks, Cadre and equivalent ranks, and Clerk ranks.

Based on the total period of work determined by the competent authority recruiting, which is consistent with the requirements of the professional qualifications and skills of the recruited position, starting from Level 1, every three-year period (36 months) for positions classified at the Specialist and equivalent ranks, and Cadre and equivalent ranks, or every two-year period (24 months) for positions classified at the Clerk rank, the salary level will be increased by one grade. After converting the time to be classified into a salary level, if there are months that do not reach 36 months (for positions classified at the Specialist and equivalent ranks, and Cadre and equivalent ranks) or do not reach 24 months (for positions classified at the Clerk rank), these months will be counted towards the time for the next salary grade increase review or for consideration of seniority allowance beyond the framework (if applicable).

Article 6. Implementation Provisions

1. This Circular takes effect from March 1, 2026.

2. In cases where the referenced documents in this Circular are amended, implementation shall be in accordance with the provisions of the amended documents.

Article 7. Responsibility for Implementation

1. The Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of organizations established by the Government or the Prime Minister that are not public service units (in cases where they are granted management authority over civil servants), Chairpersons of People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities, and related agencies, organizations, and individuals are responsible for implementing this Circular.

2. During the implementation process, if there are any difficulties, please report to the Ministry of Home Affairs for guidance and resolution.