Many opportunities for Vietnamese workers to work in Japan

In mid-June, the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy of Japan approved a series of policies related to the reception of immigrant workers. The subjects of this policy are low-skilled workers and unskilled workers in some fields with labor shortages.

The new policy will allow trainees who have completed their three-year technical intern training program to continue staying in Japan to obtain a work visa for up to five more years.

Nursing is one of the professions that Japan is recruiting workers for. PHOTO: H.BINH

The Japanese government also said it is considering allowing work visa holders to stay in Japan indefinitely if they pass qualifying exams within five years of living in Japan. Applicants for the new visa will have to pass a relevant skills test and meet a certain level of Japanese language proficiency to be approved.

In addition to relaxing the length of stay, the new policy also reduces foreign language requirements for workers in construction, agriculture, fishing and many other labor-hungry industries. Workers do not need to reach N4 level but only need to be able to understand simple commands.

It is expected that in April 2019, the professional associations of 5 industries including construction, agriculture, nursing, hotel and shipbuilding will launch a detailed industry test to evaluate workers who want to apply for a work visa in that industry.

With the changes in immigration policy, the Japanese government aims to attract 500,000 relatively low-skilled foreign workers to work in the five fields mentioned above by 2025.

Open doors for Vietnamese workers

According to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, in 2015, there were 27,010 Vietnamese workers going to work in Japan, while in 2017, there were 54,504 workers. Mr. Nguyen Gia Liem, Deputy Director of the Department of Overseas Labor Management (Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs), said that while other markets still have stable demand, the demand for recruiting Vietnamese workers in the Japanese market is increasing, diversifying in occupations.

With the new policy adjustment allowing workers to stay and work for 5 years, Mr. Liem said this will be an opportunity for Vietnamese workers to work in this market.

According to Japanese government data, in the construction industry alone, it is expected that by 2025, Japan will have a shortage of about 780,000 - 930,000 workers; the agricultural industry will have a shortage of 46,000 - 103,000 workers by 2023. The nursing industry expects to attract an additional 10,000 foreign nurses each year.

“If in previous years Japan gave opportunities to unskilled workers, from 2018 onwards there will be many positions for intellectual workers, recruited under the engineer and technician program with many special incentives. These are the main points that will make the Japanese labor market very vibrant in the coming time,” Mr. Liem shared.

According to Mr. Vu Cong Binh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of LOD Human Resources Development Joint Stock Company, compared to other markets, the income of workers in Japan is better, and the working conditions are also better. Japanese enterprises are very eager to receive Vietnamese workers because they are conscious, hard-working, intelligent, agile, and have a cooperative spirit.

However, Mr. Pham Do Nhat Tan - Vice President of the Vietnam Association of Labor Export said that this is also a challenge forcing workers and businesses to overcome the limitations of the recent past.

Mr. Tan expressed: “The Japanese market is open to all foreign workers, but it depends on the ability of the workers. To compete with workers from other countries, Vietnamese workers must also be equipped with foreign language knowledge, certain professional skills and most importantly, discipline and labor discipline.”

Mr. Tan said that the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs has directed to make the Japanese market a key market in the coming time. Therefore, the management agency must also focus on monitoring and inspecting to ensure that businesses comply with legal regulations in training and costs. Businesses have also focused on investing more in improving the quality of the staff and employees directly involved in labor export.

Mr. Doan Mau Diep - Deputy Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs said that the demand for working in Japan in the coming time may increase in some industries. In early June, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs allowed 6 northern enterprises to pilot the recruitment of workers in the field of nursing and caregiving to work in Japan. The Ministry is negotiating to reduce foreign language requirements and increase benefits equal to or higher than those of native workers. In August, when negotiations are completed, it will be expanded to southern enterprises.

“Japan’s population is aging, in addition to nursing and caregiving, in the near future, some Japanese occupational groups will need labor and Vietnam will be able to meet the demand, such as agriculture, hotel services, high-rise building maintenance, etc. In particular, the Ministry will allow Japanese human resource corporations to cooperate with labor export enterprises to recruit IT engineers to work there,” said Mr. Diep.