VJEPA: Long-term jobs for Vietnamese caregivers in Japan

Vietnamese caregivers at work in Japan (Illustrative image/VietnamPlus)

Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnamese caregivers have won very high praise from their Japanese counterparts for their high pass rate on Japan’s national medical certificates right in the first tests, based on their skills and knowledge.

After 10 years of implementation, the programme on sending Vietnamese caregivers to work in Japan under the Vietnam – Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (VJEPA), Vietnamese staffs have won high praise and appreciation from the Japanese side. Representatives of Japan’s medical establishments have expressed their desire to get more caregivers from Vietnam, and this shows an open potential for Vietnamese workers in this field in Japan.

Vietnamese candidates highly valued

Vu Van Minh is working as a caregiver at Japan’s Saitama Medical University Hospital. At first, he found himself in some difficulty as the Japanese language he had learned in Vietnam was lacking. He spent an additional two hours each day to learn it. Thanks to his efforts, Minh gradually came to be able to read, write and communicate with his colleagues and he was accepted to get directly involved in the consultation and treatment work there.

Than Van Dat is another caregiver at the hospital who won warm support from his colleagues who hope he will work stably there thanks to his studiousness.

The Vietnamese staffs have a chance to both learn advanced medical techniques and to earn good income, Dat said, adding those are what he had expected and then gained.

Mika Suzuki, chief caregiver at the Saitama Medical University Hospital, said Vietnamese candidates are studious and hard working. Their command of Japanese language shows very rapid progress, and they can communicate with patients to provide them with daily consultation.

Vietnamese candidates can integrate themselves in the Japanese culture very quickly, she said, adding managers are very glad to receive Vietnamese candidates.

All the eight Vietnamese caregivers at the hospital have passed the tests for Japan’s national medical certificates, and this means they have the right to sign contracts will all the medical establishments in Japan for a long-term employment.

Vu Van Minh working as caregiver at Japan’s Saitama Medical University Hospital. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines are the three countries within ASEAN to have reached agreements on sending caregivers to work in Japan. Through the tests for Japan’s national certificates, Vietnamese candidates have over 70% passing to work as caregivers and more than 90% as aides. That is the highest percentage among the Southeast Asian countries.

240 more workhands needed

Since 2012, the VJEPA programme has conducted 10 courses, selecting and teaching the Japanese language for 2,012 candidates to work in Japan. Nearly 1,700 candidates of nine courses have been sent to work at hospitals and nursing homes in Japan, and the country is currently in need of more Vietnamese caregivers and aides.

Kumagai Kazumasa, head of the Koifukl group in Yamanashi prefecture, said many establishments of the association are facing a shortage of caregivers and they are asking him to recommend candidates from Vietnam. He expressed his hope that the two governments will soon accelerate the expansion of the selection of this kind of workhands.

Pham Viet Huong, Deputy Director of the Department of Overseas Labour under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, said Japan in now facing a serious labour shortage, especially in the healthcare sector, adding his department is receiving applications for the 11^th course with 240 workhands for the work in Japan.

The Department of Overseas Labour is receiving applications to work as caregivers until the end of October 31, 2022. Those wishing to join the programme can directly hand in their applications to the department or through the post to the address: No. 41B Ly Thai To Street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi (application form can be downloaded from www.dolab.go.vn)./.