Vietnamese Workers Drawn to Nursing Profession in Japan

According to reports, there are currently about 380,000 Vietnamese laborers working in Japan, among them 200,000 are trainees and over 10,000 are employed in the nursing sector. About 2,000 of these workers were sent to Japan under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

A recent seminar held in Osaka, Japan focused on promoting cooperation in education and the recruitment of trainees and nurses between Vietnam and Japan.

Ngo Trinh Ha, the Vietnamese Consul General in Osaka, emphasized the potential for increased cooperation in labor, especially in the nursing sector.

Vietnamese nurse and caregiver candidates study Japanese before arriving in Japan for working. Photo: VietnamPlus

Phan Tien Hoang, head of the Vietnamese Labor Management Board in Japan, provided an assessment of the current labor situation, noting that there are approximately 380,000 Vietnamese workers in Japan, including 200,000 trainees, 10,000 skilled workers, and more than 70,000 workers with higher education degrees. These workers make up around 18% of the total foreign workforce in Japan.

In the nursing and elderly care industry, there are more than 10,000 Vietnamese workers, including about 2,000 nurses and caregivers under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

Hoang highlighted the increasing attraction of the nursing profession for Vietnamese workers due to the Japanese Government’s favorable policies, such as salary increases for nursing workers and better working conditions.

The seminar also addressed the need to enhance the training and reception of trainees and nurses, which not only meet Japan’s demand but also address Vietnam’s growing need for nurses due to its aging population.

Hayashi Takaharu, chairman of Japan’s Avance Group, emphasized the importance of Japanese language skills for nurses and caregivers working in Japan.

To attract workers, Higashikawa town in Hokkaido province has developed a support mechanism that covers the cost of vocational and Japanese language training for those who will work long-term in the industry. The town has also established a Japanese school and aims to attract more international students.

A view of the seminar in Osaka city, Japan. Photo: VNA

Luu Thi Ngoc Tuy from VILACO, a company that sends Vietnamese nurses to Japan, mentioned the increasing elderly population in Vietnam and the need to learn from Japan’s experience in building an effective elderly care insurance system. VILACO offers job opportunities in Japan at lower costs than government regulations and provides training and a nursing home according to Japanese standards for workers returning to Vietnam.

Consul General Ngo Trinh Ha noted that the seminar provided a platform for Japanese recruitment businesses and Vietnamese dispatching units to directly interact and discuss issues, aiming for cooperation and development in this potential field of cooperation.