Removing the construction permit requirement is more than a procedural update — it could be a game-changer.

Twelve projects, including 10 domestic projects and two foreign-invested ones with a total investment exceeding 1 billion, are set to break ground in the Saigon Hi-tech Park (SHTP) in Ho Chi Minh City in 2025, according to the park’s management board.

The index for administrative procedure compliance costs (APCI) was released for the first time on August 17, assessing the actual expenses businesses and organisations have to incur in order to adhere to existing administrative procedures.

Hanoi will shorten the time taken to process applications and grant construction permits from 166 days at present to no longer than 120 days in line with the Prime Minister’s Instructive 08/CT-TTg dated March 13 this year.