Vietnam plans to introduce a special visa for highly qualified foreign specialists (the Vietnam Talent Visa), which will provide for a simplified process for obtaining residence permits, exemption from the requirement to obtain a work permit, and preferential conditions for family members. At the same time, it is proposed to exempt specialists involved in strategic projects from paying personal income tax for five years.
The Ministry of Public Security released the corresponding draft resolution of the National Assembly of Vietnam on October 16, 2026, for public comment.
The legislative initiative consists of 16 articles and aims to attract foreign experts, scientists, researchers, technology entrepreneurs, and other highly qualified specialists to implement strategic state programs, investment projects, and the development of an innovative economy.
The document applies not only to foreigners but also to Vietnamese citizens and members of the Vietnamese diaspora living abroad.
What benefits does the talent visa offer?
According to the draft, foreign specialists who meet the established criteria will be able to obtain a special visa and a corresponding temporary residence card.
Provisions are made for extending the duration of stay and changing the purpose of residence in accordance with immigration law.
Visa holders will be permitted to work simultaneously at multiple companies, research institutions, or government organizations without having to obtain a separate work permit for each employer.
When changing jobs, foreign specialists will not need to reapply for their current visa.
These simplifications will also apply to family members. Spouses and children under the age of 18 will be able to obtain UĐ2 visas and the corresponding temporary residence permits.
In addition, the state must ensure favorable conditions for the residence and education of the children of foreign specialists.
Five-Year Tax Holiday
One of the key provisions of the legislative initiative is a five-year exemption from personal income tax.
The exemption will apply to the salaries and bonuses of qualified specialists and the employees they recruit who perform strategic tasks.
It is proposed that the five-year period be calculated from the date the relevant income is earned.
At the same time, tax incentives will be available not only to specialists working in government agencies but also to employees of private companies involved in the implementation of strategic projects.
Separate incentives are provided for employers. Companies that hire qualified specialists to carry out strategic tasks will be able to additionally include in their tax-deductible expenses an amount equivalent to 50% of the salaries and bonuses actually paid to such employees.
Thus, the total amount of labor costs that can be taken into account when determining taxable income will potentially amount to 150% of actual payments.
Vietnam plans to allocate approximately 0.1% of GDP annually to talent development
The government also proposes establishing a special funding mechanism for programs aimed at attracting and developing highly qualified personnel.
It is planned to allocate approximately 0.1% of GDP annually for these purposes as part of the overall funding for science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation.
Priority will be given to projects of strategic importance to the country’s economy, particularly in the fields of high technology, scientific research, digitalization, and the modernization of production.
At the same time, the proposed selection system calls for an assessment of actual professional achievements and specialists’ ability to perform specific tasks.
Possession of a scientific degree, an academic title, or extensive professional experience will not be a mandatory requirement, except in cases where such requirements are explicitly stipulated by law for a specific type of activity.
According to the drafters, this will make it possible to attract not only renowned scientists but also young technology entrepreneurs, engineers, and developers of innovative products.
What the New Rules Will Mean for Foreign Investors
The proposed changes could increase Vietnam’s appeal to international technology companies, research and development centers, and enterprises implementing high-value-added investment projects.
Simplifying the hiring process for foreign experts and allowing them to work with multiple organizations simultaneously could reduce administrative costs for businesses and facilitate technology transfer.
At the same time, the proposed program is not a universal visa for digital nomads or an automatic pathway to obtaining a residence permit through real estate purchases.
Its main goal is to attract specialists to specific strategic programs and projects identified in accordance with national priorities.
The resolution has not yet been adopted. Once the public consultation period concludes, the document is to be reviewed by the National Assembly of Vietnam. The final selection criteria, application procedures, and validity periods for special visas will depend on the approved legislation.
Vietnam is one of the Southeast Asian economies actively attracting foreign investment in manufacturing, electronics, digital technologies, and infrastructure. In recent years, the country has been developing special support mechanisms for investors and highly qualified professionals with the aim of modernizing the economy and enhancing its international competitiveness.
Huawei Ukraine has announced the launch of the nationwide Student Tech Challenge 2026 team competition for students majoring in technical disciplines. This year, 152 students representing 42 teams from 18 Ukrainian universities will take part in the competition.
The official opening of the competition took place online on October 6. The participants were addressed by Ma Mingjie, Director of Huawei Ukraine, Roksolana Shvadchak, Director General of the Digital Transformation Directorate of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, as well as the heads of Ukrainian technical universities.
In 2026, the teams will work in three areas: Radio Access Network Planning, Datacom Engineering, and Digital Energy. Participants are required to develop solutions to practical challenges in mobile network planning, data transmission, network technologies, and digital energy.
Work on the projects will be carried out with the support of team coaches and Huawei Ukraine mentors.
“Huawei Ukraine consistently invests in the education of Ukrainian youth. We strive to inspire students to study even harder, gain deeper insight into real business cases, and build careers in their chosen professional fields. In this way, they will directly strengthen Ukraine’s ICT industry,” said Ma Mingjie, Director of Huawei Ukraine.
Student Tech Challenge is being held for the third consecutive year. In 2024, the competition involved 134 students in 32 teams from 10 universities, while in 2025, it brought together 201 students, 48 teams from 20 universities. In 2026, the number of competition categories has been reduced from four to three, with 42 teams from 18 higher education institutions joining the project.
Anatolii Melnychenko, Rector of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, emphasized the importance of closer ties between university education and the real needs of the technology industry. According to him, such initiatives enable students not only to acquire academic knowledge but also to apply it to solving engineering challenges and gain practical teamwork experience.
The competition will run from October 6 to November 6. The semifinal selection will take place on October 26–27, and on November 4–5, the teams will present their projects to an independent expert jury. The final ceremony and awards presentation will take place in Kyiv on November 6.
The winners will receive prizes, as well as an opportunity to participate in a Huawei mentoring or internship program.
Student Tech Challenge is a nationwide technology competition organized by Huawei Ukraine for students majoring in technical disciplines, with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. Participants develop solutions to practical challenges in telecommunications, network technologies, and energy under the guidance of company experts.
Global shipments of personal computers (PCs) in the third quarter of 2026 fell by 20.1% compared to the same period last year—to 62.7 million units, according to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC).
This decline marks the second consecutive quarter of contraction. However, in April–June, the decline was less significant—3.8% year-over-year.
“A prolonged shortage of components and a rush to restock at the beginning of the year—when suppliers and distribution channels sought to purchase goods in anticipation of expected price increases for memory—led to demand being exhausted by the start of the third quarter,” the IDC report states.
This disrupted the usual seasonal pattern, under which third-quarter figures are typically higher than those of the second quarter. As a result, sales in July–September fell by 9.1% compared to the previous three months.
“Right now, channel partners are concerned about excess inventory in a market where high prices are holding back demand. This could lead to promotional campaigns and some short-term price reductions for consumers, but we do not expect prices to return to last year’s levels—they will remain high,” notes Jitesh Ubrani, IDC’s research director for consumer devices.
IDC, MARKET, PC, SHIPMENTS, TECHNOLOGY
Exports of Ukrainian IT services in January–August 2026 increased by 4% compared to the same period last year—to $4.46 billion, according to data from the National Bank of Ukraine analyzed by Experts Club.
In terms of foreign exchange revenue, the sector has effectively returned to the levels seen in the corresponding period of 2023, though it has not yet reached the peak figures of 2022.
In January–August 2022, the volume of IT exports was approximately 9% higher than the current figure.
Thus, the trend of recent years can be divided into two periods: after a record-breaking 2022, Ukrainian IT exports began to decline, and in 2026, they are once again showing growth.
The importance of IT for the entire Ukrainian services sector remains particularly significant. In the first eight months of 2026, Ukraine exported services worth $10.9 billion, which is approximately 6% higher than the figure for the same period last year.
IT accounted for 41% of this total—that is, more than $4 out of every $10 Ukraine earned from service exports.
The sector’s share of total foreign trade also remains significant. Total exports of goods and services for January–August amounted to $35.8 billion, of which $4.46 billion came from IT companies and specialists.
As a result, the IT sector accounts for about 12% of the country’s total exports—roughly one in every eight dollars of export revenue.
If current growth rates continue, the sector could end 2026 with its best performance in several years; however, growth rates will need to accelerate to return to the record levels seen in 2022.
Data source: National Bank of Ukraine.
Tbilisi is preparing to host the international conference AgriFuture Georgia 2026, which will bring together representatives of the agribusiness sector, technology companies, investors, producers, and experts to discuss new opportunities for agricultural development, the implementation of innovations, and the attraction of investment.
The event will serve as a platform for direct dialogue between agricultural producers, suppliers of modern technologies, financial institutions, and companies interested in developing agricultural projects in Georgia and the region.
One of the central themes of AgriFuture Georgia 2026 will be the transformation of agriculture driven by modern technologies. Participants will discuss the automation of production processes, the digitalization of agribusiness, and the application of innovative solutions in crop production, horticulture, and other areas of agricultural production.
Special attention will be given to investments in agriculture and the search for new financing models for agricultural projects. Representatives from the business and investment communities will have the opportunity to discuss promising investment areas, opportunities for scaling up existing operations, and launching new projects.
Another key focus of the conference will be the development of exports. For Georgian and regional producers, entering new markets remains one of the key drivers of further growth; therefore, participants will examine the requirements of international buyers, changes in demand patterns, and opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of agricultural products.
The organizers expect the conference to serve not only as a forum for discussion but also as a venue for establishing new business contacts. As part of AgriFuture Georgia 2026, agribusiness representatives will be able to interact directly with potential partners, technology providers, investors, and experts.
The practical application of technologies will play a special role in the program. Participants will be presented with solutions that enable agricultural enterprises to increase productivity, use land, water, and energy resources more efficiently, reduce production costs, and improve product quality.
The holding of AgriFuture Georgia 2026 reflects the growing interest of the business community in the modernization of Georgia’s agricultural sector. The country has favorable conditions for producing fruits, vegetables, nuts, grapes, and other agricultural products; however, the sector’s further development increasingly depends on technological modernization, access to financing, and producers’ ability to operate in international markets.
The conference is aimed at owners and managers of agricultural enterprises, farmers, producers and exporters of agricultural products, investors, representatives of the banking sector, suppliers of equipment and technology, trading companies, international organizations, and industry experts.
AgriFuture Georgia 2026 is set to become a platform where representatives from various segments of the agricultural sector can discuss specific projects and form new partnerships to develop agribusiness in Georgia and the region.
Open4Business – Information Partner of the AgriFuture Georgia 2026 International Conference
Huawei Ukraine has announced that it is accepting applications from students at Ukrainian higher education institutions to participate in the annual Student Tech Challenge-2026 team competition, which is held with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
According to the company’s press release, participants will develop technological solutions for challenges in the fields of telecommunications, computer networks, and digital energy. Winners will receive prizes and the opportunity to join an internship program at Huawei Ukraine.
The competition will be held in three main categories: Radio Access Network Planning, Datacom Engineering, and Digital Energy. Teams will develop their projects with the assistance of the company’s faculty coaches and mentors.
The first stage of the Student Tech Challenge will run from October 6 to 26 and will include online meetings, solution development, and presentation preparation. The semifinals are scheduled for October 26–27, after which the finalist teams will continue working with mentors. Project pitches will take place on November 4–5, either online or in person in Kyiv, and the finals and awards ceremony will be held on November 6.
Teams of two to five students from Ukrainian higher education institutions are invited to participate. Eligible participants include undergraduate students in their third year or higher and first-year master’s students majoring in engineering, technical, and related polytechnic fields. Knowledge of English at a minimum B1 level is required, as project presentations will be conducted in English.
Detailed contest rules are available on the official Student Tech Challenge website.
Huawei Ukraine has been operating in the Ukrainian market since 2000, and Huawei Ukraine LLC was registered in Kyiv in May 2005. The company is engaged in the supply, commissioning, maintenance, and technical support of Huawei telecommunications equipment and software.
One of the company’s areas of activity in Ukraine is the training of specialists in the field of information and communication technologies. In particular, since 2016, the international educational program “Huawei Seeds for the Future” has been implemented in Ukraine, and the Huawei ICT Academy network has been expanding in partnership with Ukrainian universities.
Source: Huawei Ukraine press release on the “Interfax-Ukraine” website.
EDUCATION, Huawei Ukraine, Student Tech Challenge, TECHNOLOGY, СТУДЕНТ
