New salary mechanism for civil servants effective July 1, 2026.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - The newly passed amended Civil Servant Law paves the way for a salary-based system from July 1, 2026, creating income differentiation based on responsibility and work performance.

Shifting from a "graded" system to a job-based salary system.

On the afternoon of December 10th, the National Assembly passed the amended Law on Public Employees, marking a significant shift in the way salaries are paid to over one million public employees working in public service units.

One of the biggest changes is the shift from a salary system primarily based on rank, grade, and seniority to one linked to job position, performance, and efficiency.

According to the new regulations, civil servants are entitled to salaries, bonuses, and other income based on the results and efficiency of their work in their assigned positions.

This is the first time the "job position - job performance" principle has become the basis for income payment in the public sector, replacing the previous salary calculation method which was primarily based on rank, grade, and seniority.

The new mechanism is expected to address the issue of equal pay and salary increases based on time, which do not accurately reflect the value and responsibilities of each position.

Civil servants will be paid according to their job position (Illustrative image: DT).

The law clearly stipulates that each civil servant will be assigned to a specific job position with a detailed description, including duties, competency standards, qualification requirements, and responsibilities. This also serves as the basis for evaluating the civil servant's performance annually.

According to the new law, performance reviews are categorized into four levels: excellent performance, good performance, satisfactory performance, and unsatisfactory performance. These results are one of the bases for considering salary increases, bonuses, and other salary-related benefits.

The law sets a clear timeline for transitioning to the new mechanism. According to the implementing provisions, by July 1, 2027 at the latest, all ministries, sectors, and localities must complete the review and placement of civil servants into corresponding job positions and determine salaries based on those positions for all civil servants recruited before the law takes effect.

This means that the current salary scale system will no longer be the basis for paying civil servants' income in the next phase.

In addition to salary, the new law also designs income schemes linked to position and work performance, which include overtime pay, night shift pay, travel expenses, and other legitimate income.

These expenses are paid by public service units in accordance with the law and internal spending regulations, enabling the units to proactively allocate resources and encouraging staff to improve the quality of service.

Maintain preferential treatment for disadvantaged areas.

Besides paying salaries based on job position, the law still maintains specific preferential policies for civil servants working in difficult conditions.

According to Clause 3, Article 12, civil servants working in mountainous areas, border regions, islands, remote areas, ethnic minority areas, areas with special difficulties, or in arduous, hazardous, or dangerous occupations continue to enjoy preferential policies as prescribed by law.

Thus, the new mechanism ensures both the principle of salary reform and maintains stability for specific target groups.

Increase transparency in evaluations.

The implementation of a salary mechanism linked to job positions also necessitates quantitative evaluation and transparency in the management of civil servants.

The law requires that performance evaluations be based on the level of task completion, work output, and task execution efficiency, while also linking them to the accountability of the head of the organization.

This aims to address the issue of superficial evaluation, while simultaneously motivating high-performing individuals and establishing a screening mechanism for those who fail to meet targets.

From July 1, 2026, when the law takes effect, civil servants nationwide will enter a major transitional period where income will no longer be based on seniority but will be closely tied to their position and work performance.

This is considered one of the key changes, contributing to the modernization of public service and improving the efficiency of the public service system.

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/noi-vu/co-che-tien-luong-moi-cho-vien-chuc-tu-ngay-172026-20251210163835079.htm