Circular No. 26/2025/TT-BNV promulgates the List of areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions to serve as the basis for determining cases where retirement at a younger age than the normal retirement age may be allowed under normal working conditions.

CIRCULAR

Issuing the List of Areas with Particularly Difficult Economic and Social Conditions for

Determining Cases Eligible to Retire at a Lower Age than the Normal Retirement Age

Under Normal Working Conditions

Pursuant to the Labor Code No. 45/2019/QH14 dated November 20, 2019;

Pursuant to the Social Insurance Law No. 41/2024/QH15 dated June 29, 2024;

Pursuant to the Government Decree No. 135/2020/NĐ-CP dated November 18, 2020 on retirement age;

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

At the proposal of the Director of the Wages and Social Insurance Department;

The Minister of Home Affairs issues this Circular issuing the List of Areas with Particularly Difficult Economic and Social Conditions for Determining Cases Eligible to Retire at a Lower Age than the Normal Retirement Age under Normal Working Conditions

Article 1. Attached to this Circular is the List of Areas with Particularly Difficult Economic and Social Conditions for Determining Cases Eligible to Retire at a Lower Age than the Normal Retirement Age under Normal Working Conditions.

Article 2. Scope of Regulation

This Circular stipulates the List of Areas with Particularly Difficult Economic and Social Conditions for Determining Cases Eligible to Retire at a Lower Age as prescribed in Clause 3, Article 169 of the Labor Code No. 45/2019/QH14 and Article 5 of the Government Decree No. 135/2020/NĐ-CP dated November 18, 2020 on retirement age.

Article 3. Applicability

1. Workers and employers as prescribed in Clauses 1, 2, and 3 of Article 2 of the Labor Code No. 45/2019/QH14.

2. Agencies, organizations, and individuals related to social insurance.

Article 4. Effective date

Clause 1. This Circular takes effect from January 1, 2026.

2. The provisions of this Circular shall take effect from January 1, 2026.

a) The period during which workers worked before January 1, 2021 in areas with regional allowance coefficients of 0.7 or higher or areas with regional allowances of 25% or higher shall be recognized as working time in areas with particularly difficult economic and social conditions for determining cases eligible to retire at a lower age than the normal retirement age under normal working conditions.

b) The period during which workers worked from January 1, 2021 to before January 1, 2026 in areas with particularly difficult economic and social conditions for determining cases eligible to retire at a lower age than the normal retirement age under normal working conditions shall be applied according to the List of Areas with Particularly Difficult Economic and Social Conditions for Determining Cases Eligible to Retire at a Lower Age than the Normal Retirement Age under Normal Working Conditions issued together with Circular No. 19/2021/TT-BLDTBXH dated December 15, 2021 by the Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs. In particular, the period during which workers worked from July 1, 2025 to before January 1, 2026 in areas with particularly difficult economic and social conditions for determining cases eligible to retire at a lower age than the normal retirement age under normal working conditions shall be determined based on the working time in areas with particularly difficult economic and social conditions in June 2025.

2. Circular No. 19/2021/TT-BLDTBXH dated December 15, 2021 by the Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs issuing the List of Areas with Particularly Difficult Economic and Social Conditions for Determining Cases Eligible to Retire at a Lower Age than the Normal Retirement Age under Normal Working Conditions shall cease to be effective from the date this Circular takes effect.

State-owned enterprises that have been assigned by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to conduct offshore wind power project surveys before the effective date of this Circular shall continue to implement according to the assigned documents; any new matters arising after the effective date of this Circular shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of this Circular.

1. Provincial People's Committees directly under the Central Government shall be responsible for directing the Provincial Departments of Home Affairs and relevant agencies to inspect and urge the implementation of this Circular.

2. Social insurance agencies shall be responsible for implementing this Circular.

3. During the implementation process, if there are changes in the names or economic and social conditions of the areas specified in Article 1 of this Circular, please report to the Ministry of Home Affairs for timely research and resolution.