The Ministry of Home Affairs of Vietnam has issued a new directive increasing the budget for allowances for non-professional officials working in villages and residential groups, as outlined in Decree No. 185/2026/ND-CP.

This announcement follows responses to petitions from constituents in Ho Chi Minh City during the recent session of the National Assembly. The directive addresses various aspects of public sector salary policies, including provisions for non-professional staff at the grassroots level and wage regulations for workers in the business sector.

Specifically, the decree stipulates that the state budget will allocate allowances (including social insurance contributions) for non-professional officials in villages and residential groups. For villages with 700 households or more, or residential groups with 1,000 households or more, as well as those in key administrative units regarding national defense or in border areas, the allowance will be set at 8.0 times the base salary.

Conversely, for villages and residential groups not meeting these criteria, the allowance will be set at 6.5 times the base salary. Additionally, if a province or city decides to use local budget funds to set higher allowance levels than those specified by the national budget, the provincial People’s Council can determine the specific amount based on local budget capabilities without needing approval from central ministries or agencies.

This increase in allowances is intended to improve the operational conditions for non-professional officials, ensuring they can work effectively and meet the demands of their roles in the current context.