From 1978 to 1993, Phúc worked initially as a civil servant, before rising to become the deputy head of Quảng Nam-Đà Nẵng's People's Committee.

Phúc then served in various government roles before becoming deputy prime minister and joining the Politburo for the first time in 2011 after the 11th Party Congress.

His tenure as prime minister oversaw a period of record economic growth and directed the country's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

[5] Previously, on 17 January 2023, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam approved Phúc's resignation from his positions according to his personal wishes.

From 1980 to 1993: Phúc was an employee, then deputy, rising to Chief of Office of the Quảng Nam – Đà Nẵng People's Committee.

[citation needed] From 1997 to 2001, Phúc was a permanent member of the Provincial party committee (17th, 18th session); Vice Chairman, then the first Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee of Quang Nam Province and Director of Industrial Zones Management Board of Quang Nam Province.

[citation needed] From June 2006 to August 2007, Phúc was Permanent Vice Minister of the Office of Government, member of the 11th National Assembly's Economic and Budgetary Commission.

[citation needed] From January 2011 to July 2011, Phúc was Member of the Politburo of the 11th CPV Central Committee, Minister of the Office of Government.

Nguyễn Xuân Phúc led the Vietnam's pandemic response, assigning Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam to direct.

He instructed all people to stay at home, only going out in cases of absolute necessity such as buying food, medicine, emergency, working at factories, production facilities, and business establishments.

Business services, essential goods are not closed, stop operating and other emergencies; strictly implement the minimum distance of two meters when communicating; do not gather more than two people outside of offices, schools, hospitals and in public places.

causing loss and damage throughout the region, destroying, delaying and pushing back the socio-economic development of Central Vietnam.

[19] On 5 April 2021, Phúc was elected the 10th President of Vietnam, during a meeting session of the National Assembly, succeeding Nguyễn Phú Trọng who had previously announced his resignation from the role.

[21] On the morning of 27 May 2021, Nguyễn Xuân Phúc said "I call on all walks of life, businesses, organizations, and our compatriots abroad... to contribute and support the "Our people and our entire army will soon defeat the epidemic" in the launching ceremony of "Peak round of donations to support Covid-19 prevention and control" organized by the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee.

[22] Accompanying him and his wife was a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation who arrived at Vnukovo airport in the Russian capital Moscow, starting an official visit Russia from 29 November to 2 December, at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin.

Such policies are very necessary at this time, to promote the country's socio-economic development, restore growth, and implement the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress.

The President said that fiscal and monetary support for development during this difficult time is necessary, but the foundation is to maintain macroeconomics, especially inflation targets.

[24] At the same time, he ordered the need to redesign the incentive mechanism and procedures for receiving fiscal, monetary and credit support packages for businesses and people, so that they can access them in the fastest and most convenient way.

While admitting responsibility for the wrongdoing of his officials, he wrote off as conspiracy theories the claims that he or his family were directly engaged in or associated with the COVID-19-related Việt Á scandal.

[25][26] "My family, my wife and children did not earn personal gains or commit corruption related to Việt Á, and have never met Việt Á director, and these have been clearly concluded by the Central Inspection Commission"On the morning of 17 January 2022, in Da Nang City, the Steering Committee for the Project "Strategy for building and perfecting the rule of law state of Vietnam until 2030, with a vision to 2045" organized a national conference with topic: "Continuing to promote and improve the effectiveness of judicial reform to meet the requirements of building and perfecting the rule of law state of Vietnam until 2030, with a vision to 2045".

[33] He has a brother named Nguyễn Quốc Dũng, born in 1947, who is the former Procurator General of the People's Procuracy of Da Nang.