Accordingly, foreigners who are keen to buy houses in Vietnam must fulfill three following conditions: working or living in Vietnam; residing in Vietnam legally for more than a year; and purchasing apartments or houses for their own use in line with their working and living condition and Vietnam’s legal regulations foreigners’ residence and movement.

The Ministry proposed that foreigners hopeful of getting permission to buy houses include those investing in Vietnam under law, making contributions to Vietnam’s development, working in the fields of culture and science, getting married with Vietnamese nationals and living in Vietnam, and running business in the country in line with the Investment Law.

According to the Ministry, from 2004 to 2006, more than 81,000 foreigners entering Vietnam to work, including about 25,000 investing in Vietnam, 1,600 working for foreign representative offices and international organizations, and nearly 54,000 working in the fields of economics, education, health care and sports and physical training.

There is a great demand for accommodation from foreigners working in Vietnam, particularly in its big cities.