Japan to hire 1,000 nurses, caregivers in the next 2 years

Japan will hire at least 1,000 nurses and caregivers in the next two years, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) reported yesterday.

POEA chief Jennifer Manalili said representatives of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Japan International Corp. of Welfare Services (JICWELS) has forged an agreement on the deployment of Filipino nurses and caregivers to Japan.

“We will be deploying an initial batch of 200 nurses and 300 caregivers by end of April or early May this year as part of the agreement,” Manalili disclosed.

The agreement also stipulated that the Philippine will deploy a total of 400 nurses and 600 caregivers in the next two years, Manalili said.

Under the agreement, those who qualify for the jobs will undergo a six-month language and culture training in Japan during which they will receive an allowance of $400 or more than P21,000, Manalili said.

After the training, Filipino nurses and caregivers will be allowed to stay in Japan for three years to work in hospitals and other medical facilities.

“The language training will prepare them to eventually take the Japanese licensure examination,” Manalili disclosed.

She noted that Filipino nurses could take the Japanese licensure examination during their three-year stay.

“They have three chances to pass the exam which is given every February and those who will pass the board are guaranteed to have higher salaries than those who are not licensed,” Manalili explained.

Filipino caregivers will receive a monthly salary of $1,600 while nurses will get a much higher monthly pay.

But after the initial deployment, Manalili said the Philippine government would assess the deployment process to determine whether they will continue with the program or not.

Licensed nurses with at least three years of experience are qualified to apply for training and employment in Japan, while nursing graduates and other graduates of any four-year course with certification from TESDA can apply for caregiver positions.   – Mayen Jaymalin, Philippine Star