Japan recession won’t affect hiring of nurses

MANILA, Philippines – Despite experiencing its “worst economic crisis,” Japan is still hiring Filipino nurses and caregivers.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) allayed fears yesterday about the cancellation of the planned hiring by Japan of Filipino nurses and caregivers.

“We don’t see such a scenario happening because it’s the Japanese employers who keep on telling us to follow the timeline of the deployment process,” POEA chief Jennifer Manalili said.

Manalili said the POEA is now undertaking the screening process and deployment is expected to start by end of April or early May.

Recent reports have said that the Japanese economy suffered its fastest contraction in 35 years, prompting its economy minister Kaoru Yosano to declare that the country is suffering “the worst economic crisis in the postwar era.”

But Manalili reiterated that Japanese employers have not expressed plans to cancel or defer the hiring of Filipino nurses.

At this time, Manalili said, the POEA has received an “overwhelming” number of applications for the initial 500 nurses and caregivers set to be deployed to Japan.

The POEA said there are some 2,000 applicants for the first 200 nursing slots while more than 5,000 aspirants are contending for the 300 caregiver slots.  – Mayen Jaymalin