There is no social security program in Vietnam similar to that available in the west. While the government taxes people, there is no guaranteed pension of any kind for individuals in Vietnam who have not worked for a government owned company.

In the case of a Vietnamese citizen working for a government owned or controlled company there is a very basic amount of money that is paid to the individual upon retirement which in and of itself is a somewhat vague concept. The amount one former government employee receives, as a case in point, is the equivalent of $30.00 USD per month. Perhaps this will change in the future, perhaps not.