Possession of work permit

Normally, the company keeps the original Work Permit and Expat keeps a notarized copy. But some companies let expats have the original.
Work Permit can not be transferred to another company because the address, the name of your current company, and the working position are printed in the Work Permit. If you got a similar position in a new company, the new company still has to get you a new Work Permit, but you will not have to submit your qualifications provided the Work Permit with previous company is still valid. But if you have been staying in VN for over six months, you will need to obtain a Criminal Record at Justice Department (this takes almost a month), and get a Health Certificate at appointed hospitals in Vietnam (not all hospital's certificates are accepted).
Well, that's the regulations but sometimes officers at Labor Department are suddendly getting flexible and things will be getting much easier :-).
Trina