The Labor Ministry plans to launch an initial survey on job changes among foreigners working in nursing homes as early as September, it has been learned.
Questionnaires and hearings are being held for officials of nursing homes that hire foreign workers. The study is intended to gain insight into the movement of foreign workers and how measures for such workers to settle in the country are being implemented.
There are known cases of foreign workers moving from rural areas to work in nursing homes in urban areas, or changing jobs and no longer working in elderly care.
The ministry plans to prepare a report by the end of the 2024 budget year and use it to improve measures for recruiting and retaining foreign personnel.
Foreign workers who have changed jobs or are planning to change jobs are also included in the study. The aim is to gain insight into their circumstances.
Information is collected on the efforts of institutions to recruit and retain foreigners, and on the related measures taken by local governments.
Japan accepts foreign workers under technical apprenticeship training and specific skilled worker programs, as well as an Economic Partnership Agreement scheme.
The Technical Internship Program, which aims to help foreigners learn skills in Japan and use them back home, does not allow job changes in principle. But the Skilled Workers Specific Program, which is designed to address Japan’s labor shortage, does allow job changes if certain conditions are met.
The training program for technical interns will be replaced by a new system focused on human resources development as early as 2027. Foreign workers will be allowed to change jobs under the new system if certain conditions are met.
