Vietnam considers supporting R&D costs for businesses

The Ministry of Planning and Investment is drafting a decree for the to-be-launched Investment Support Fund, offering aid of up to 30% of the research and development (R&D) costs that businesses incur.

The fund will provide support related to human resources training, R&D, fixed asset investment, production of high-tech goods, and investments in social infrastructure.

Manufacturers of high-tech goods, high-tech firms, companies utilizing high technology, businesses with investments in R&D centers, and businesses participating in green transformation will be eligible for the support.

The draft decree also stipulates other requirements for beneficiaries. For businesses with investments in R&D centers, the investments must exceed VND3 trillion ($117.9 million) and the disbursement must exceed VND1 trillion in the first three years of receiving approval.

Manufacturers of high-tech goods, high-tech firms, and companies utilizing high technology must have minimum capital of VND12 trillion ($471.5 million) or annual revenues of VND20 trillion ($785.78 million) or above. For chip and artificial intelligence (AI) firms, the figures are VND6 trillion and VND10 trillion, respectively.

Human resources training

For human resource training, the assistance is up to 50% of expenditure on Vietnamese workers for training courses and activities. The expenditure includes payments for trainers, purchases of learning content, facilities/equipment, and scholarships.

R&D

For high-tech firms and companies utilizing high technology, the fund offers support equivalent to 20% of R&D investments of up to VND120 billion ($4.72 million), 25% for R&D investments between VND120 billion and VND240 billion, and 30% for amounts over VND240 billion.

For manufacturers of high-tech goods, the support is similar to the above criteria, with ratios of 1%, 5%, and 10%. For businesses with investments in R&D centers, the support is 10%, 15%, and 20% of R&D spending.

Production of high-tech goods

For manufacturers of high-tech goods, the support is 0.5% of the added value of their goods. The support is 1% for firms with at least 10,000 staff, revenue of at least VND200 trillion ($7.86 billion), and added value of at least 30% of their products.

For high-tech firms and companies utilizing high technology, the support is 1% of the added value of their high-tech goods. The support is 3% for firms with at least 10,000 staff, revenue of at least VND200 trillion ($7.86 billion), and added value of at least 30% of their products.

Fixed asset

Regarding fixed asset investments, the support is 1-10% for different businesses and different investment figures.

Social infrastructure

For investments in social infrastructure, the support is up to 50% of the expenditure.

In January, the Ministry of Planning and Investment said Vietnam should consider cost-based incentives as it renews policies to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) because those currently in place are becoming outdated.

In a draft report on FDI attraction, the ministry noted that Vietnam currently provides incentives related to corporate income tax, import-export tax, and land lease fees. Other factors include destinations, sectors, and project scale, like remote areas and priority industries.

However, these incentives are becoming less effective as income-based support will not fundamentally motivate long-term commitment, while the Global Minimum Tax (GMT) will partly negate Vietnam’s advantages, the report said. Complicated implementation of preferential tax policies and firms abusing tax policies to conduct transfer pricing are other disadvantages, it added.