People's Republic of China or Vietnam
Two countries side by side across the same rows as the full comparison. A dash means the value is missing: fields are not filled with guesses. about the data
| People's Republic of China | Vietnam | |
|---|---|---|
| Salary in IT | — | $ 13 656 |
| Citizenship | — | 5 years |
| Partner can work | — | — |
| Parents | doable | — |
| Pets | difficult | no trouble |
| Pet limit | 1 | 2 |
| Quarantine | no | no |
| Residence permit fee | — | — |
| Rent, 2 bedrooms | $ 1 118 · estimate | $ 617 |
| Basket | $ 26,7 | $ 24,7 |
| Life expectancy | 78.02 | 74.74 |
| Homicides/100k | 0.5 | 1.54 |
| Natural hazards, 0–10 | 7.8 | 7.3 |
How the two sets of routes differ
Long-stay routes in this reference: People's Republic of China — 24, Vietnam — 14. Types present in both: work, study and family. People's Republic of China adds: startup, talent and repatriation. Vietnam adds: investment.
Fees, thresholds and deadlines
People's Republic of China: the fee is 1,500 CNY wherever it is published. Routes with a published decision deadline: 6; the shortest is 15 days. Vietnam: fees range from 100 to 165 USD. Routes with a published decision deadline: 14; the shortest is 5 days.
Beyond the first permit
Permanent status: People's Republic of China after 4 years, Vietnam after 3 years. Citizenship: Vietnam after 5 years; the other country publishes no term. Neither recognises a second citizenship.
People's Republic of China in brief
The PRC builds entry around qualifications: besides the ordinary Z work visa there is an R visa for occupations in acute demand and, introduced on 1 October 2025, a K visa for young scientists and technologists. The constraint is the longer-term outlook: dual citizenship is not allowed, and official sources do not disclose the conditions for naturalisation.
Vietnam in brief
Vietnam is relatively accessible on a work visa (work permit + TRC) for an employee with a degree and an employer, but long-term status is hard to reach: permanent residence requires at least 3 continuous years on a TRC, citizenship another 5 plus a discretionary decision going up to presidential level, and dual citizenship is restricted. Local IT salaries are substantially below the developed Asian hubs, which is typical of a market with a large outsourcing sector. Natural hazards cluster in the typhoon and monsoon flood season (May–December); seismic and volcanic threats are practically absent.
Other comparisons
People's Republic of China or… Taiwan · South Korea · Japan · Thailand · Kazakhstan · Lebanon · Uzbekistan · Malaysia
Vietnam or… Azerbaijan · Philippines · Bangladesh · Kuwait · Iraq · Mongolia · Oman · Sri Lanka
More on each: People's Republic of China · Vietnam. Build your own comparison — up to four countries
This material is for reference and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Visa rules, tax thresholds and prices change. Before deciding anything, check the official sources and consult a licensed professional in the relevant country.