Circular No. 12/2022/TT-BVHTTDL stipulates the criteria, conditions for taking the examination or being considered for promotion to higher ranks; forms, contents, and determining successful candidates in the examination period for promotion to professional titles in the sports training profession.

CIRCULAR

REGULATIONS ON STANDARDS, CONDITIONS FOR EXAMINATION OR PROMOTION REVIEW; FORMS, CONTENTS AND DETERMINATION OF SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES IN THE PROMOTION REVIEW PERIOD FOR PROFESSIONAL RANKS OF SPORT SPECIALISTS

Pursuant to the Law on Physical Culture and Sports dated November 29, 2006 and the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Law on Physical Culture and Sports dated June 14, 2018;

Pursuant to the Civil Servant Law dated November 15, 2010;

Pursuant to the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Civil Servants and Public Officials Law and the Public Service Staff Law dated November 25, 2019;

Pursuant to Decree No. 79/2017/NĐ-CP dated July 17, 2017, of the Government stipulating functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism;

Based on the proposal of the Director of the Cadre and Civil Servant Department;

The phrase "or examination" is abolished pursuant to Clause 6, Article 8 of Circular No. 15/2025/TT-BVHTTDL dated November 25, 2025, of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism amending and supplementing certain articles of Circulars prescribing job codes, qualification standards, and salary grades for civil servants in the heritage culture, library, grassroots cultural activities, sports, fine arts, art performance, film, and cultural propaganda sectors, which takes effect from January 15, 2026.

The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism issues this Circular stipulating standards, conditions for examination or promotion review; forms, contents and determination of successful candidates in the promotion review period for professional ranks of sport specialists.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

1. This Circular stipulates standards, conditions for examination or promotion review; forms, contents and determination of successful candidates in the promotion review period for professional ranks of sport specialists.

2. This Circular applies to sport specialists working in public service units and related organizations and individuals.

Article 2. Interpretation of Terms

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

1. Direct coach training athletes who win medals at international sports competitions is a coach assigned to directly train, instruct, and guide athletes competing and winning medals at international sports competitions.

2. Olympic and Paralympic sports are sports included in the official competition program at the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

3. Sports at the Asian Games and Asian Para Games are sports included in the official competition program at the Asian Games and Asian Para Games.

a) Meeting the standards and conditions set forth in Clause 1, Article 32 of Decree No. 115/2020/NĐ-CP dated September 25, 2020 of the Government on recruitment, utilization, and management of civil servants (hereinafter referred to as Decree No. 115/2020/NĐ-CP);

1. Being nominated by the competent authority to participate in the examination for promotion to the occupational title.

2. Meeting the standards and conditions prescribed in Clause 1, Article 32 of Decree No. 115/2020/ND-CP dated September 25, 2020 of the Government on recruitment, employment, and management of officials.

3. Meeting the requirements for diplomas, certificates, and other requirements of the professional rank standards as prescribed in Circular No. 07/2022/TT-BVHTTDL dated October 25, 2022 of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism stipulating code numbers, professional rank standards, and salary grades for sport specialists.

Article 4. Standards and conditions for promotion examination

1. From Senior Coach (Class II) to Senior Coach (Class I):

Meeting the standards and conditions set out in Article 3 of this Circular and having outstanding achievements in professional activities linked to job positions, specifically:

During the time holding the professional rank of Senior Coach (Class II), the specialist directly trains and develops athletes achieving at least one of the following achievements: Medal at the Olympic Games; Medal at the Paralympic Games; Gold medal at the World Championships; Gold medal at the Asian Games; Gold medal at the Asian Para Games; Gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games.

2. From Coach (Class III) to Senior Coach (Class II):

Meeting the standards and conditions set out in Article 3 of this Circular and having outstanding achievements in professional activities linked to job positions, specifically:

During the time holding the professional rank of Coach (Class III), the specialist directly trains and develops athletes achieving at least one of the following achievements: Medal at the Asian Games; Medal at the Asian Para Games; Gold medal in the Asian Championships of Olympic and Asian Games sports; Medal at the World Championships; Medal at the Youth Olympic Games.

3. Instructor (Class IV) to Coach (Class III): Meeting the standards and conditions set out in Article 3 of this Circular and being a specialist currently holding the professional rank of Instructor (Class IV).

Chapter II

APPLICATIONS, FORMS, CONTENTS; DETERMINATION OF SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES IN THE PROMOTION REVIEW PERIOD FOR PROFESSIONAL RANKS

Article 5. Documents, form, and content for rank promotion examination

Based on job positions and needs of public service units, the employing agency proposes to the civil servant management agency to examine and decide according to its authority or submit to the competent authority for examination and decision on rank promotion as follows:

1. The application documents for the rank promotion examination of sports instructors shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of Article 36 of Decree No. 115/2020/NĐ-CP.

2. Form of examination for promotion: Reviewing documents.

3. Content of the examination: Evaluation of meeting the criteria and conditions for rank promotion as stipulated in Article 4 of this Circular.

Article 6. Determination of successful candidates in the rank promotion examination

1. Successful candidates in the rank promotion examination are civil servants who fully meet the criteria and conditions as prescribed in Articles 4 and 5 of this Circular and are recognized by the head of the agency or unit organizing the rank promotion examination as successful candidates in the examination period.

2. In case two or more candidates are equal at the final criterion, the determination of successful candidates shall be made in the following priority order: female civil servants; ethnic minority civil servants; older civil servants (calculated by day, month, year); civil servants with longer tenure.

If it is still not possible to determine the successful candidate, the head of the agency or unit authorized to organize the rank promotion examination shall consider and decide after consulting with the head of the authorized civil servant management agency.

Chapter III

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 7. Implementation Organization

1. The Minister, Head of a Governmental Agency at the Ministerial Level, Head of a Governmental Agency under the Prime Minister, Chairman of the People's Committee of provinces and centrally governed cities, and Heads of public service units shall appoint civil servants to participate in examinations or rank promotion based on the criteria and conditions stipulated in this Circular within their assigned authority and bear responsibility for the criteria and conditions of the appointed civil servants participating in examinations or rank promotion.

2. The Minister, Head of a Governmental Agency at the Ministerial Level, Head of a Governmental Agency under the Prime Minister, within their assigned authority, shall organize examinations or rank promotion for sports instructors in accordance with the relevant legal regulations.

Article 8. Effectiveness and Implementation Responsibility

1. This Circular takes effect from February 1, 2023.

2. Repeal Circular No. 23/2018/TT-BVHTTDL dated August 21, 2018, issued by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which stipulates the criteria, conditions, content, and form of examinations or rank promotion for sports instructors.

3. For agencies, organizations, and units that have been approved by the competent authority to implement plans for examinations or rank promotion for sports instructors before the issuance of this Circular, they shall continue to implement the approved plans within six months from the date this Circular takes effect. After this period, if implementation is not completed, they must follow the provisions of this Circular.

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

5. The Minister, Head of a Governmental Agency at the Ministerial Level, Head of a Governmental Agency under the Prime Minister, Chairman of the People's Committee of provinces and centrally governed cities, and related agencies, units, and individuals are responsible for implementing this Circular.

6. During the implementation process, if there are difficulties, please reflect them to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for study and appropriate amendments and supplements./.