Gia Lai health department to refund over $18,000 to candidates after canceling recruitment

The Department of Health in Gia Lai province, Vietnam, is set to return more than 462 million Vietnamese dong (approximately $18,000 USD) to 1,542 candidates. This reimbursement covers application fees for a planned public health sector recruitment drive in 2024 that was ultimately canceled.

Initially, the department had planned to recruit staff for public service units facing staff shortages and received 1,542 applications. The total collected fees amounted to over 462.6 million dong, with each candidate paying 300,000 dong. These funds were deposited into the state budget as per regulations.

However, changes in the sector's staffing needs and directives from central authorities led to the cancellation of the recruitment drive. Following a tax refund decision from the provincial tax authority, the Department of Health received the funds back to distribute to the applicants. The refund process involves bank transfers, with candidates needing to submit requests by September 15, 2026. Those who do not submit requests by the deadline will be considered to have forfeited the fees.