Son Nguyen SJ comes from Vietnam. He joined the novitiate of the Society of Jesus in Vietnam on 31 May 2002 and took his vows on the same day in 2004.

Before joining the Society, he worked as a soldier in the army, then joined the candidacy of his diocese and studied English at Hanoi University of Foreign Studies. He spent some time studying philosophy in Saint Joseph Scholasticate, in Thu Duc, Saigon.

Son arrived in Australia on 28 November 2006 for his theology studies.