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Recruitment

Building a Software Team in Vietnam Without the Legal & Compliance Headaches

In this story

 

HEADQUARTERS
United States
INDUSTRY
Business Consulting
& Services
COMPANY SIZE
1,001 – 5,000
Employees
REGION OF EXPANSION
Southeast Asia –
Vietnam

 

 

RESULTS AT A GLANCE

 

50%
Time-to-hire cut vs. standard recruitment
0
Legal entities required or compliance risk
97%
Employee retention & team morale
2x
Faster expansion into new markets

 

 

 

ABOUT THE CLIENT

 

Our client is a digital consultancy established in 1999 that is a global leader in design, data, and technology innovation. With a mission to help ambitious brands reimagine their digital experiences, the company has consistently delivered award-winning solutions by blending creativity with technical excellence.

 

As part of their global strategy, the client identified Vietnam as a strategic market for accessing top-tier technology talent and expanding engineering capabilities. However, despite the opportunities, the road to hiring in Vietnam came with its own set of challenges.

 

 

 

THE CHALLENGE

 

Vietnam’s Talent Pool Is Ripe, But Compliance Hurdles Slowed the Pace

 

 

Vietnam's emergence as a tech hub made it an obvious choice for expansion. The country boasts a young, skilled, and rapidly growing developer base, with competitive labor costs and English proficiency. However, the client quickly discovered that navigating Vietnam’s labor regulations, visa requirements, and employment laws was more complex than expected.

 

While talent was readily available, navigating Vietnam’s legal, tax, and HR landscape posed significant challenges:

 

Complex regulations around work permits, labor contracts, and social insurance.
No legal entity in the country to onboard employees compliantly.
Limited local talent networks, which slowed sourcing and hiring.

 

 

 

Faced with prolonged hiring timelines and complex compliance procedures, the company recognized the need for a trusted local partner with deep expertise in the Vietnamese market. At the same time, they valued proximity and accessibility, preferring a partner with a Singapore headquarters they could easily connect with, given their own presence there.

 

After conducting their own research, they reached out to Talent JDI—drawn by our strong foothold in Vietnam’s tech talent landscape and proven experience in building compliant, high-performing offshore teams for global companies.

 

 

 

THE SOLUTION

 

A Turnkey Talent Solution: Recruitment + EOR Services

 

 

The client partnered with Talent JDI to help them hire and manage Vietnamese tech talent efficiently and legally, without the need to establish a local entity. Our approach combined two core services: targeted Recruitment and full-service Employer of Record (EOR) support.

 

 

1
Smart, Localized Talent Acquisition

 

We deployed a streamlined hiring strategy that prioritizes speed to secure top talent for the client in the quickest time possible:

 

Insight: We localized the candidate value proposition to resonate with Vietnam-based tech professionals, emphasizing growth opportunities, hybrid flexibility, and competitive compensation aligned with local expectations.

 

01
Step 01 · Talent Sourcing
Tap Into a Pool of 30,000+ Active Candidates

Leverage our extensive candidate database and trusted referral network to identify the right talent fast — without starting from scratch.

02
Step 02 · Screening & Shortlisting
Rigorous Screening to Surface the Best Fit

Every candidate goes through structured screening and skills evaluation so only the most qualified, role-ready profiles reach your desk.

03
Step 03 · Interviews & Assessments
Coordinated Interviews and Technical Assessments

We manage the full interview process — scheduling, technical assessments, and feedback loops — keeping things moving without the back-and-forth.

04
Step 04 · Offer & Negotiation
Salary Negotiation, Benefits, and Contract Finalization

We handle offer management end-to-end — negotiating competitive packages, structuring benefits, and ensuring contracts are signed and compliant.

05
Step 05 · Onboarding & Integration
Seamless Day-One Readiness

From paperwork to IT setup and workplace access, we make sure every new hire is fully equipped and integrated from their very first day.

 

Want more details about our hiring process?
Learn More

 

 

 

2
Full EOR Compliance – So the Client Didn’t Have To

 

Post-hiring, Talent JDI provided full EOR support, taking care of compliance, payroll, taxes, and audits. By handling the administrative workload, we allowed the client to focus on growth while ensuring a smooth experience for their team. 

 

We also provided continuous updates on any shifts in labor or tax regulations, helping the client avoid surprises and maintain full compliance at all times.

 

Compliance Assurance

Ensure full compliance by managing work permits, contracts, tax filings, and audits

Payroll Processing

Take care of salary disbursements, taxes, social insurance, reporting, and timely payments

Employee Engagement

Facilitate benefits administration and ongoing HR support to enhance employee engagement

 

 

 

THE RESULTS

 

Confidence In Growing An Excellent Workforce With Talent JDI

 

With Talent JDI’s support, the client successfully built a dedicated tech team of over 50 developers in Vietnam. To this day, the team continues to operate under our management.

 

What stood out most to the client was Talent JDI’s responsiveness, collaborative approach, and unwavering commitment throughout the engagement. 

 

 

Time-to-Hire Cut by 50%

Our recruitment strategy drastically shortened the hiring cycle, helping the client onboard key tech roles in weeks, not months.

No Entity Required, No Compliance Risk

With Talent JDI as the legal employer, the client avoided legal red tape and compliance pitfalls that often plague new market entries.

High Employee Retention

By ensuring smooth onboarding, proper local benefits, and regular engagement, we've helped the client maintain strong retention and morale.

Scalable Expansion Framework

Beyond the initial team setup, we laid the groundwork for future expansion, including potential contractor hiring and workspace solutions.

 

 

Looking ahead, they are exploring opportunities to expand the partnership, potentially adding contractor hiring and co-working space solutions to support future growth.

 

 

 

WHY TALENT JDI

Why Enterprise Clients Choose Talent JDI Over Others

 

Talent JDI Glints TalentHub Deel AYP Group
Vietnam-only specialist
Recruitment + EOR bundled
Pre-vetted tech talent pool 30,000+ devs 10M+ (generic)
Ministry licensed & compliant Partial
Dedicated account manager
Time to first hire < 2 weeks 3–4 weeks No recruitment No recruitment
EOR monthly cost Market-competitive $299+/mo + 18% $599/mo Flat fee

 

 

Get Started

Ready to Build Your Vietnam Engineering Team?

Whether you're hiring your first Vietnamese developer or scaling an entire department, Talent JDI will get you there — fast, compliant, and cost-effectively.

Book a Consultation