Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has announced a decision to relax the requirements for nursing care homes to hire overseas technical interns. This policy, aimed at addressing the growing labor shortages in the sector, is set to take effect in the 2025 fiscal year, according to VisaGuide.World.
Currently, Japan's technical intern training scheme allows only nursing care homes that have been operational for more than three years to hire overseas workers, as reported by Jiji Press. Under the new rules, care homes that have not been operational for three years will also be able to recruit international workers if the agencies running them have been established for more than three years. Additionally, care homes whose agencies are less than three years old will be able to hire foreign interns provided they meet specific criteria, such as offering training for overseas trainees.
Japan to Expand Eligibility for Foreign Workers Providing Home-Visit Nursing Care Services
In addition to these changes, Japan plans to expand the list of foreign caregivers eligible to provide in-home visit nursing care services. Currently, only holders of a nursery care visa and certified care workers from countries with an economic partnership agreement (EPA) can offer such services. The proposed regulations will extend eligibility to include technical trainees, workers with a particular skills visa, and licensed care worker applicants from countries with EPAs.
Japan in Dire Need of Physicians & Medical Staff
The number of licensed care workers in Japan has surged over the past decade, reaching nearly 1.94 million in 2023. This figure is expected to continue growing due to Japan's increasing aging population. With low birth rates and high life expectancy, the share of people aged 65 and older in Japan is projected to exceed 38 percent of the population by 2060, according to Statista. The rising number of elderly residents in nursing care facilities has exacerbated the shortage of physicians and medical staff. To address these shortages, Japan is looking to attract overseas workers through programs like the technical intern training scheme.