So I've been toying with idea for the last couple of years of leaving my current life and moving to Vietnam. So I'm here to try and get some guidance from you wonderful folks. Let me tell you a little bit about myself I'm a Vietnamese American my parents came over from Vietnam's in 1975 I was born and raised in California. I do speak what is considered fluent Vietnamese in the U.S. but in Vietnam it can be considered elementary at best. I'm 30 years old I'm currently working at a credit union as a banker. I did not get an undergraduate degree but I have a ton of experience in sales, marketing, and teaching. I have been to Vietnam 3 times all while on vacation. So I guess what I want to ask is if I wanted to get the ball rolling and start setting up a new life in Vietnam what should I do? What should I get? What kind of jobs kind I get with my skill set? I've heard that if I don't have an undergrad degree I won't be able to find work is that true? What does the application to get a visa there entail? Is it better to go to Hanoi or Saigon? I have motorcycle license in the U.S. does that transfer over to motor scooters in Vietnam? How much starting capital should I gave j order to start my life in Vietnam, what's the banking system like over there is it similar to the U.S.? How do I go about buying a proper over there? Can I buy property over there? Any advice is welcome and I would love to hear from you.
Thank you.
Need some Guidance and advice
You packed a lot of questions in one post, each pertains to a different topic, making it difficult for the readers to wade through and address.
I suggest that you rewrite the post, divide your inquiries into different categories (visa, job, finance, business start up, license to ride, banking, buying properties, etc.) with different heading, and post them again in separate threads. That way, members who have experience and knowledge of one topic can respond to one specific thread without getting tangled up in the rest.
Biggest issue you face is the lakcmof a degree, crazy as it sounds experience is not as important as a degree.
There are some exemptions that will either work for or against you dependjng on your current job level. If you are a manger an dheld that position for five years then you might be ok, definitions of what is acceptable mangerial position vary wildy.
On the various job sites there are always banking jobs listed take a lpokmag vietnamworks and see if anything catches your eye.. its a good place to look to get an idea
Realistically, if you cannot get a job all of your other questions become moot so let's tackle that one first.
As a non-college graduate and US citizen you will have an incredibly difficult time getting a job here working for a Vietnamese company. Now you do have the benefit of being Vietnamese-American and speak Vietnamese but I honestly don't know how far that is going to get you due to the rules of hiring Vietnamese citizens if at all possible. Plus, if you could get a job the pay would likely be dreadfully low-like $300-500 a month.
Your best bet is going to be to find a US company before you move that would be your employer and you work here for them. They may see a benefit in a US citizen Vietnamese in Vietnam and the pay would be much better. In either case you would still have to file income taxes in the US as US taxes worldwide income.
My wife's sister is in the banking business. She is from HCMC and has worked for many of the foreign banks in VN. She moved to the US about 3 years ago to further her 2 sons education. She will be moving back to VN when they are finished. My wife and I are considering moving to VN. My wife is an RN but so far we haven't been able to find her a job in a hospital - she's a duel citizen. The sister tells her to go into banking / easy to get a job because there are many and her English skills are very good. However she holds a drgree from VN in banking as well as a degree in the US in nursing. So she's well educated. My point is with your perfect English skills you may find it not so difficult to find a banking job with your experience - especially from what would be considered a foreign bank to VN. I wouldn't be discouraged before you start. Not having VN citizenship may be the biggest drawback. However there are many companies in VN willing to hire foreign workers with the right skills. If possible decide where you want to live - and go over on a job hunting trip. You will need an international drivers license over there which you can get here. Getting a visa is not that difficult - a work permit is a different deal. Check the VN state department site for visa requirements. In a matter of speaking you're an American that speaks VN well. That's how they will look at it. Good luck and dont get easily discouraged.
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