Circular No. 05/2026/TT-BGDĐT stipulates the working regime for vocational education teachers.

CIRCULAR
REGULATING THE WORKING REGIME FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION TEACHERS

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Pursuant to the Labor Code No. 45/2019/QH14;
Pursuant to the Teachers Law No. 73/2025/QH15;
Pursuant to the Vocational Education Law No. 124/2025/QH15;
Pursuant to the Government Decree No. 37/2025/NĐ-CP dated February 26, 2025, stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Training;
Based on the proposal of the Director of the General Department of Teachers and Educational Management Staff;
The Minister of Education and Training issues this Circular regulating the working regime for vocational education teachers.

Chapter I
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular regulates the working regime for lecturers teaching at the college level, teachers teaching at the intermediate level, and teachers teaching at the basic level (hereinafter collectively referred to as vocational education teachers), including duties, working hours, annual leave; standard teaching hours (hereinafter referred to as standard hours) and standard hour quotas; overtime teaching regime, reduction in standard hour quotas, and conversion of other professional activities into standard hours.

Article 2. Applicability

1. This Circular applies to vocational education teachers, including teachers, teachers holding management positions at educational institutions (principals, directors, deputy principals, deputy directors, department heads and equivalent positions, deputy department heads and equivalent positions), and teachers working in specialized departments and units in colleges, intermediate schools, and public vocational education centers (hereinafter collectively referred to as vocational education activity institutions); relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals.

2. When vocational education teachers participate in teaching general secondary school knowledge in vocational education activity institutions, the working hours and class hour quotas for secondary school teachers shall be applied according to the regulations of the Minister of Education and Training.

3. This Circular does not apply to teachers teaching teacher training programs in colleges and teachers currently teaching various levels of vocational education in higher education institutions, vocational education institutions under the Ministry of National Defense, and the Ministry of Public Security.

Article 3. Interpretation of Terms

In this Circular, the following terms are understood as follows:

1. Working Hours refers to the time that teachers engage in professional activities during the academic year, excluding annual leave as prescribed.

2. Standard Hour is a unit of time for performing teaching duties based on the conversion from the number of labor hours required before, during, and after class to complete teaching tasks, including preparation, organization of teaching, education, and evaluation of learners.

3. Standard Hour Quota is the number of standard hours that each teacher must teach in an academic year.

4. Reduction in Standard Hour Quota refers to the situation where teachers are exempted from certain teaching hours to perform professional, managerial, or concurrent tasks assigned by competent authorities or specific cases as prescribed.

5. Conversion of Professional Activities into Standard Hours refers to the situation where teachers, when assigned by competent authorities to perform certain professional tasks (other than those already reduced in standard hour quota), are converted into standard hours to calculate the teaching load for teachers.

Article 4. Principles for Determining the Working Regime

1. The working hours of vocational education teachers in vocational education activity institutions are determined based on the number of weeks and standard hour quotas in an academic year after deducting the number of days off as prescribed, ensuring that it does not exceed the maximum working hours as stipulated.

2. The standard hour quota for vocational education teachers teaching multiple levels in an academic year is applied according to the standard hour quota at the highest level based on the conversion factor of lower-level teaching hours to the highest-level teaching standard hours.

3. One standard hour of online teaching is equivalent to one standard hour of direct teaching.

4. Time that vocational education teachers do not fully utilize for study, training, scientific and technological activities, innovation, and updating practical skills and new technologies can be converted into standard hours. The number of converted hours is determined based on the ratio between the time teachers do not fully utilize for these tasks and the corresponding teaching duty time for the training level. The converted hours are added to the standard hour quota of teachers in the academic year.

5. For tasks that have been allocated funds to pay remuneration to vocational education teachers as prescribed, there will be no reduction in standard hour quotas and no conversion of the time spent on such tasks into standard hours.

6. Assignment and allocation of tasks for vocational education teachers must ensure:

a) Compatibility with standard hour quotas, participation in training, training, scientific and technological activities, innovation, and updating practical skills and new technologies;

b) Compliance with legal provisions on working hours and rest periods;

c) Transparency within vocational education activity institutions to ensure uniform implementation.

7. The working regime for associate lecturers is implemented according to the regulations of the Government.

Article 5. Standard Hours, Teaching Time

1. One standard hour is calculated for theoretical teaching for a maximum of 35 students, pupils, or students; practical teaching or integrated teaching (hereinafter referred to as integrated teaching) for a maximum of 18 students, pupils, or students; practical teaching or integrated teaching for heavy, toxic, or dangerous trades listed by the Minister of Education and Training for a maximum of 10 students, pupils, or students.

2. Teaching time in the training plan is calculated in standard hours, including:

a) One theoretical lecture hour of 45 minutes is equivalent to one standard hour;

b) One integrated teaching hour of 60 minutes is equivalent to one standard hour;

c) One practical teaching hour of 60 minutes is equivalent to one standard hour.

Chapter II
TASKS, WORKING TIME, STANDARD HOURS AND ANNUAL LEAVE OF TEACHERS TEACHING VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AT THE PRIMARY, INTERMEDIATE AND COLLEGE LEVELS

Article 6. Tasks

The tasks of vocational education teachers shall be carried out in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training on the professional standards for college lecturers, intermediate level teachers, and primary level teachers.

Article 7. Working Time

1. The working time for college teachers is 44 weeks, including:

a) 32 weeks to perform teaching duties;

b) 12 weeks to participate in training and enhancement; to carry out scientific and technological activities and innovation; to update and improve practical skills, access new technologies; to observe classes, exchange experiences, and other professional activities.

2. The working time for intermediate level teachers is 44 weeks, including:

a) 36 weeks to perform teaching duties;

b) 8 weeks to participate in training and enhancement; to carry out scientific and technological activities and innovation; to update and improve practical skills, access new technologies; to observe classes, exchange experiences, and other professional activities.

3. The working time for primary level teachers is 46 weeks, including:

a) 42 weeks to perform teaching duties;
b) 4 weeks to participate in training and enhancement; to carry out scientific and technological activities and innovation; to update and improve practical skills, access new technologies; to observe classes, exchange experiences, and other professional activities.

4. The working time for teachers holding management positions at educational institutions in vocational education establishments is 46 weeks, including the time performing teaching duties to ensure the standard hours as prescribed in Clause 5, Article 8 of this Circular.

Article 8. Standard Hours

1. The standard hours for college teachers range from 350 to 450 standard hours.

2. The standard hours for intermediate level teachers range from 400 to 510 standard hours.

3. The standard hours for primary level teachers and other vocational training programs range from 450 to 580 standard hours.

4. The standard hours for teachers teaching general subjects in a school year are 450 standard hours for college teachers and 510 standard hours for intermediate level teachers.

5. The standard hours for teachers holding management positions at educational institutions, teachers working in specialized departments and units (holding lecturer or teacher positions in vocational education establishments) are as follows:

a) Rector, Director: 8% of the standard hours;

b) Deputy Rector, Deputy Director: 10% of the standard hours;

c) Department Head and equivalent: 14% of the standard hours;

d) Deputy Department Head and equivalent: 18% of the standard hours;

đ) Teachers working in specialized departments and units: 20% of the standard hours.

6. The standard hours for teachers assigned the task of teaching professional competence enhancement programs for teachers in vocational education establishments shall apply the standard hours for college teachers.

Article 9. Annual Leave

1. The annual leave of teachers includes summer vacation, public holidays, Tet holidays, and other days off.

2. The annual summer vacation of teachers shall be implemented according to the Government's regulations.

3. Public holidays, Tet holidays, and other days off shall be implemented according to the laws on labor and social insurance.

4. In cases where the summer vacation coincides with the maternity leave of female teachers, in addition to the leave stipulated in Clause 3 of this Article, the leave of teachers includes:

a) Full maternity leave as prescribed;

b) Summer vacation not overlapping with maternity leave, arranged before or after maternity leave, consistent with the training plan of the vocational education establishment;

c) If the summer vacation stipulated in point b of this clause is less than the number of annual leave days prescribed by labor laws, teachers will be granted additional leave to ensure the total number of additional leave days and the number of days stipulated in point b of this clause equals the number of annual leave days prescribed. Additional leave will be flexibly scheduled upon agreement between the teacher and the vocational education establishment.

5. In cases where male teachers are entitled to paternity leave when their wives give birth according to social insurance laws, teachers will be considered to have completed the standard hours requirement during the leave period without having to make up for teaching. If the paternity leave overlaps with the summer vacation, no compensatory leave will be granted for the overlapping period.

Chapter III
REGIME FOR EXCESS HOURS ABOVE THE STANDARD HOURS, REGIME FOR REDUCED STANDARD HOURS, AND CONVERSION OF PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES INTO STANDARD HOURS

Article 10. Regime for Excess Hours Above the Standard Hours

1. During the academic year, vocational education teachers who exceed the standard hours prescribed in Article 8 of this Circular in their teaching duties shall have the excess hours determined as overtime hours.

2. The total number of overtime hours for vocational education teachers shall not exceed the number of additional working hours prescribed by law.

3. Payment for overtime teaching hours shall be made in accordance with current regulations.

Article 11. Regime for Reduced Standard Hours

1. Teachers who hold management positions at educational institutions in specialized departments or teachers who concurrently hold other positions shall have their standard hours reduced as follows:

a) Teachers who serve as class advisors or academic counselors: shall be reduced by 15% to 20% of the standard hours for one class depending on the class size, level of training, and specific industry or profession;

b) Teachers responsible for specialized classrooms/workshops/practical rooms: shall be reduced by 10% of the standard hours for one workshop with dedicated staff; shall be reduced by 15% of the standard hours for one workshop without dedicated staff;

c) Teachers who are heads of departments, stations, farms, and equivalents, deputy heads of departments, stations, farms, and equivalents; teachers who are heads of subjects and equivalents; teachers who concurrently manage libraries: shall be reduced by 15% to 30% of the standard hours.

2. Teachers concurrently holding Party and mass organization positions

a) Teachers concurrently serving as Secretary of the Party Committee or Secretary of the Branch Committee of vocational education establishments shall be reduced by 20% to 30% of the standard hours; teachers concurrently serving as deputies of the aforementioned positions shall be reduced by 15% to 20% of the standard hours; teachers concurrently serving as members of the Party Committee or Branch Committee shall be reduced by 10% to 15% of the standard hours. Based on the scale of the vocational education establishment, the number of members in each organization, after consultation with the relevant Party and mass organizations, the head of the vocational education establishment shall decide on the specific reduction ratio within the prescribed limits;

b) Teachers concurrently holding trade union positions shall apply the reduction of standard hours as prescribed in Circular No. 08/2016/TT-BGDĐT dated March 28, 2016, issued by the Minister of Education and Training regarding the reduction of standard teaching hours for teachers and lecturers concurrently holding non-professional trade union positions in public educational institutions under the national education system;

c) Teachers who are members of the Communist Youth Union, Vietnam Student Association, or Vietnam Youth Federation at the school level shall apply the reduction of standard hours as prescribed in Decision No. 13/2013/QĐ-TTg dated February 6, 2013, issued by the Prime Minister regarding the regime and policies for Communist Youth Union, Vietnam Student Association, and Vietnam Youth Federation cadres in educational institutions and vocational training centers.

3. Teachers concurrently holding multiple positions as prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article shall be calculated based on the total reduction of standard hours but shall not exceed 50% of the standard hours. Teachers concurrently holding multiple positions as prescribed in Clause 2 of this Article shall be reduced at the highest level.

4. The reduction of standard hours prescribed in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article shall not apply to teachers holding management positions at educational institutions, teachers working in specialized departments and units as prescribed in Clause 5 of Article 8 of this Circular.

5. Reduction of standard hours for other cases:

a) During the probationary period (if applicable), teachers shall only perform up to 50% of the standard hours and shall be exempted from the task of implementing scientific and technological activities and innovation to focus on observing classes and practical training;

b) During the period of receiving social insurance benefits or leave as prescribed by current labor laws, teachers shall be exempted from the standard hours in proportion to the leave period;

c) In cases where they are assigned by authorized agencies to participate in training and enhancement exceeding the prescribed period, teachers shall be reduced by 14 standard hours for each week of training and enhancement exceeding the prescribed period;

d) Female teachers with children under 12 months old shall be reduced by 15% of the standard hours.

Article 12. Conversion of Professional Activities into Standard Hours

1. Professional activities converted into standard hours:

a) One hour of foreign language teaching for non-language subjects is equivalent to 1.5 to 2.0 standard hours;

b) One hour of theoretical teaching for classes exceeding the number of students specified in Clause 1, Article 5 of this Circular shall be multiplied by a conversion factor but not exceeding 1.5 standard hours;

c) One hour of training, guidance, and capacity building for other teachers to enhance their professional expertise, participation in teaching contests, military training, and sports activities for staff at vocational education institutions is equivalent to 1.5 standard hours;

d) Time spent on designing, improving, and making educational equipment and time spent on developing digital learning materials and electronic lectures for teaching purposes (approved at the department level or higher) is converted into standard hours;

đ) For national defense and physical education teachers, time spent on organizing sports activities and military training for staff at vocational education institutions is converted into standard hours.

2. Other professional activities converted into standard hours: Preparing exams, invigilating, grading final module and subject exams; preparing graduation exams, guiding and grading graduation projects; guiding internships combined with production work; training participants in skill, science, technology, culture, art, and sports competitions at various levels; and other professional tasks of vocational education institutions.

Chapter IV
IMPLEMENTATION

Article 13. Implementation

1. The management agency of vocational education institutions shall guide, inspect, evaluate, compile, and report periodically and urgently on the implementation of working hours regulations for vocational education teachers under its jurisdiction.

2. Based on the scale of training, actual conditions of the institution, characteristics of each training program, specific number of trainees, students, and the complexity of other professional activities, the head of the vocational education institution shall be responsible for:

a) Publicly and transparently defining criteria for determining standard hour quotas, minimum direct teaching hours required for teachers in a school year, and the conversion factors for standard hours stipulated in Clause 2, Article 4 of this Circular to decide on standard hour quotas for teachers in the school year; standard hour quotas for cases where teachers concurrently perform administrative duties;

b) Deciding on the implementation and minimum hours that teachers must participate in training, capacity building, scientific and technological activities, updating practical skills, new technologies, classroom observations, experience exchanges, and other professional activities in the school year;

c) Deciding on the summer vacation period consistent with the institution's training plan;

d) Deciding on specific reductions in standard hours for cases stipulated in Clause 1 and Clause 2, Article 11 of this Circular;

đ) Specifying the conversion into standard hours for cases stipulated in Clause 4, Article 4, and Article 12 of this Circular, and other cases (if any);

e) Strengthening the application of information technology in managing teachers' working hours; encouraging the use of electronic files and records in assigning and monitoring teachers' tasks;

3. The head of the vocational education institution shall be responsible for directing the development, issuance, and implementation of detailed regulations on working hours for vocational education teachers ensuring transparency and compliance with this Circular; bearing responsibility for explaining decisions and the implementation of working hours regulations for teachers at the institution according to regulations.

4. Private colleges, secondary vocational schools, and vocational education centers may apply the provisions of this Circular to implement working hours regulations for their vocational education teacher workforce.

Article 14. Transitional Provisions

Regulations on working hours for vocational education teachers issued pursuant to Circular No. 07/2017/TT-BLDTBXH dated March 10, 2017, of the Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs regarding working hours for vocational education teachers and Article 2 of Circular No. 28/2022/TT-BLDTBXH dated December 28, 2022, of the Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs amending and supplementing certain articles of circulars on recruitment, utilization, training, and working hours for vocational education teachers shall continue to be implemented until the end of the 2025-2026 academic year.

Article 15. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from February 12, 2026.

2. Circular No. 07/2017/TT-BLDTBXH dated March 10, 2017, of the Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs regarding working hours for vocational education teachers, and Article 2 of Circular No. 28/2022/TT-BLDTBXH dated December 28, 2022, of the Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs amending and supplementing certain articles of circulars on recruitment, utilization, training, and working hours for vocational education teachers shall cease to be effective from the date this Circular takes effect.

3. In case the referenced documents in this Circular are amended, supplemented, or replaced, they shall be implemented according to the new documents.

4. The Director of the Office, the Director of the Department of Teachers and Educational Management Staff, the Heads of relevant units under the Ministry of Education and Training, and the Principals of vocational education institutions are responsible for implementing this Circular./.