Can expats with hbv acquire work permit?

If you have an active acute infection, I really doubt that you can get a work permit.  It may seem a bit unfair as Hep B is so common in Vietnam but why else would they do the test?  There are multiple tests that, applied to a matrix, can distinguish between negative (never infected), immunized, acutely infected, chronically infected, and immune from previous infection.  Acutely infected and chronically infected people can transmit the disease.  https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hbv/pdfs/ … hartv8.pdf

I would think that for your own sake, more than for the sake of getting a Vietnamese work permit, you should be seeking medical treatment to move you from acute to immune due to natural infection.  Leaving Hep B unchecked can either lead directly to liver failure or a much greater chance of liver cancer later in life.  Take care of your own health first.

Thank you for your answer. Honestly, i already seek medical attention from my doctor and he said that since i have acute infection then they will need 6 months to monitor me before giving me any treatment as it has a chance to naturally heal.

Sincere best wishes to you.   Get well soon.

Sorry,mate. Don't lose hope.

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Harrys75 wrote:

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First post and its very enlightening.

Hi, was any one able to obtain the work visa in Vietnam with Hbsag possitive? I have it since birth and am chronic  but not infectious. I too am in a similar situation and have an employment offer from vietnam. Just verifying if i need to go ahead with the job offer.

I am from India and am currently employed and dont want to loose both.

sugarblossom75 wrote:

Hi, was any one able to obtain the work visa in Vietnam with Hbsag possitive? I have it since birth and am chronic  but not infectious. I too am in a similar situation and have an employment offer from vietnam. Just verifying if i need to go ahead with the job offer.

I am from India and am currently employed and dont want to loose both.

If you test positive for HBsAg, sorry but you ARE infectious.  From the CDC.GOV/hepatitis page:

Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg):
A protein on the surface of hepatitis B virus; it can be detected in high levels in serum during acute or chronic hepatitis B virus infection. The presence of HBsAg indicates that the person is infectious. The body normally produces antibodies to HBsAg as part of the normal immune response to infection. HBsAg is the antigen used to make hepatitis B vaccine. [emphasis mine]

It seems strange they would discriminate against you for having Hep B. Especially when you consider the high rates of it here in Viet Nam.

colinoscapee wrote:

It seems strange they would discriminate against you for having Hep B. Especially when you consider the high rates of it here in Viet Nam.

Remember that at any given time, the vast majority of those who have had the disease are negative HBsAg and positive Anti-HBc.  This is the non-infectious state.  I became aware of this, as previously noted, because that is my wife's state.  The posters with names ending in 75 (who I suspect are the same person) are positive HBsAg.   If you could help it, would you want such a person in your office, teaching your children, or preparing your food?

Those of you who still have a copy of your WP physical should look to see if you were tested for HBsAg.  Mine clearly shows that I was tested for the marker and negative.   Only one person has even implied that they worked while positive and that is not clear:

cestmarie wrote:

You can. I have been here for nearly five years. But I suppose the field of work matters too. If one is going to work here as a doctor, perhaps the medical requirements are different. Hope this helps!

As this is a first and only post which does not clearly state the situation, I would take it with a grain of salt.

As the test in the past at least, has included a check for HBsAg and nobody has clearly stated that they obtained a WP while being HBsAg positive, I think it is a reasonable assumption that you cannot. 

If Mr.  XXXXXXX75, you really have a firm job offer, why not be honest with your prospective employer and have them check with the authorities.  If you are unwilling to discuss the matter with the employer, it would seem that you are admitting that being positive is a real problem in the workplace.

Dear Thigv,

Thank you for the clarifications. You seem to have researched a lot on this and is knowledgeable on the topic. Thank you for taking the time to write back. I would also like to share my thoughts.

1) you are aware that about 90% of patients who get infected with the virus, shed the virus without any form of treatment within the initial months and they do not have a possitive Hbsag count thereafter.

2) The remaining 10% carry the virus for the rest of the life and they are normally termed as the chronically infected. Unfortunately I am in this category.

3) Not all chronical carriers transmit the virus to others. For that your viral load and other parameters need to be above a certain limit. I have heard that there are possitive HBV surgeons/ doctors who take medications to lower or keep thier count to such levels so that they do not infect others and are successfully carrying out surgical procedures where there is a high  possibility of infecting others. I get my count tested periodically and I am not required to take any medicines. My wife is not possitive, so I do not feel that I will infect anyone else. The vaccines for HBV was only available after the 80s and many are infected with HBV especially those born before the 80s.

4) I am not sure how I got the virus, but the general perception among the public is that this is sexually transmitted. I am sure that I did not get it such. It is not easy to educate each of your employer, and hence I do not wish to go through that route. Moreover when I did try that before, I was informed that the government regulations are to be followed and the Employers in the end do not have a say on this, but would prefer to leave it to the law of the country.

5) Many governments are currently relaxing thier screening requirements for HBV. For example, I know in UAE they only screen for people employed in certain trades (like restaurants and hospitals). The others are not screened at all. This rule came in 2010, but even before that UAE used to have a panel to decide on possitive screened patients and to evaluate if they are to be provided with employment permits. I myself got through with this panel, even after having a possitive HBsag count. But, the wait and the unsure state of not knowing what is going to happen was really terrible. Those days when I was waiting for the panel to decide was the worst days of my life. It was similar to what I am facing now, no one had a definite answer. So, I am just trying to find if anyone knows about the government requirements.

6) Its not sensible to walk out of your current job and face a risk with the new job. Many would recommend why take the risk, stay in your current job. But, I am stagnant with my current job since due to the fear of not being re-employed I have not shifted job for almost 20 years. I badly need a a job change since it would give me the extra financial security that I need.

You cannot imagine the torture I went through when I discovered that I was infected. I got infected with no fault of mine. But, I definitely do not want to transmit to others. I am doing regular checks to ensure my viral count is within control. But it will always be possitive. This is something I have to live with for the rest of my life. But, I need to work for my family. There are much bigger contagions than HBV nowadays (i guess even Corona is more contagious). I just deserve a chance to work and care for my family. There is no other intent.

If anyone knows about the law in Vietnam for work permit medical tests, such feedback would be much appreciated.

Asking your future employer would be a good start.

sugarblossom75:  You apparently are stuck between a rock and a hard place.  You are unwilling to ask your prospective employer and anyway they maybe unlikely to get a response from Vietnamese health and labor officials as they, the Vietnamese, have their hands full with COVID.  So you come here and nobody who reads and writes on this forum is willing to say "Yes, I am HBsAg positive and I received a work permit."  This topic has been discussed here over a long period of time, both previously and at your reintroduction.  This particular thread began in 2017.  As during the time since, nobody has come forward, it seems that this venue will not afford the "Yes" answer that you seek.  I am sorry but that aspect seem unlikely to change.  You will probably have to take your question elsewhere.

THIGV: I guess you are right. Need to approach someone else.

Please only consider this as a desperate person's attemp to obtain any possible clarity on this matter.

Eventually, if nothing works out I will approach the Employer. But, to start with let me try approaching the hospitals and testing centers. Who knows i may be able to get some clarity from them.

Just an update. I have checked with Columbia Asia and Raffles medical testing center and they have confirmed that hepB is not part of the screening for work permit

Good for you.  Apparently it has been dropped from the physical as has the HIV test.  All you had to do was ask in the right place.

Finally! Common sense prevails.