Japan is currently facing severe labor shortages in many fields due to a declining birthrate and aging population, and nursing care is the field where the Japanese government is most actively promoting the use of international talent. There are mainly four statuses of residence available in the nursing care field: Designated Activities, Specified Skilled Worker, Technical Intern Training, and Nursing Care.

This article focuses mainly on the nursing care statuses of residence for Technical Intern Training and Specified Skilled Worker.

About the “Technical Intern Training” Status of Residence

Technical Intern Training in the nursing care occupation began in November 2017.

It is a relatively new occupation within Technical Intern Training. As of the end of fiscal 2019, approximately 9,000 people had been approved for nursing care Technical Intern Training, accounting for 2.4% of all technical intern trainees. By nationality, there were 3,523 Vietnamese, 1,173 Chinese, and 1,423 Indonesians.

Because there are also acceptance requirements that do not apply to other Technical Intern Training occupations, acceptance is more difficult than for other occupations.

About the “Specified Skilled Worker” Status of Residence

As of the end of March 2021, approximately 1,700 people held this status of residence in Japan, accounting for 7.6% of all Specified Skilled Worker foreign nationals. By nationality, there were 870 Vietnamese, 280 Indonesians, and 184 Filipinos.

These three countries are the ones for which status of residence under Designated Activities is recognized, and one of the requirements that allows transition to Specified Skilled Worker with exam exemptions is completion of the period of stay as an EPA certified care worker candidate, which is why the numbers are high.

To accept foreign nationals in the nursing care field, there is the method of passing the skills exam and Japanese language exam, as well as three other methods.

1. Passing the Specified Skilled Worker skills exam and Japanese language exam

○ Skills exam

The Nursing Care Skills Evaluation Exam is frequently administered in Japan and overseas, and in addition to Japan, it can be taken in seven countries: the Philippines, Cambodia, Nepal, Myanmar, Indonesia, Mongolia, and Thailand.

Pass rates for the Nursing Care Skills Evaluation Exam vary, but average approximately 60%.

○ Japanese language exam

The Japanese language exams consist of three types: (1) the Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese, (2) the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N4, and (3) the Nursing Care Japanese Language Evaluation Test.

Results for the Nursing Care Japanese Language Evaluation Test show an average score of approximately 80% across all exams.

2. Completing a certified care worker training facility

Completing a certified care worker training facility as an international student qualifies the person to apply for the Specified Skilled Worker (i) status of residence.

3. Completing the period of stay as an EPA certified care worker candidate

Even if a person is unable to obtain certified care worker qualifications while in Japan as a care worker candidate, transition to Specified Skilled Worker is possible. As a result, they can continue working for a further five years under the Specified Skilled Worker status of residence.

4. Completing Technical Intern Training (ii) in the nursing care field

Completing Technical Intern Training (ii) grants the right to become a Specified Skilled Worker.

About the “Nursing Care” Status of Residence

As of the end of fiscal 2020, approximately 1,700 foreign nationals were working in Japan under the Nursing Care status of residence, accounting for only 0.1% of foreign nationals in Japan.

To obtain the Nursing Care status of residence, holding certified care worker qualifications is required. Among the nursing care statuses of residence introduced in this article, it is the most difficult to obtain, but family accompaniment is permitted and the status of residence can be renewed without limit.

Under a special measure currently in effect, graduates of certified care worker training facilities from 2017 through the end of March 2022 can register as certified care workers with a five-year validity period even without holding certified care worker qualifications. The Nursing Care status of residence can also be applied for with a time-limited certified care worker qualification, and in cases (1) and (2) below, this special measure applies and the person can continue to hold certified care worker qualifications.

1. Passing the national certified care worker examination within five years of graduation

2. Engaging in nursing care practice for five years after graduation

About the “Designated Activities” Status of Residence

The Designated Activities status of residence is a system operated based on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) concluded between Japan and the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam. In fiscal 2019, 761 people resided in Japan under this status of residence, with the largest numbers by country being 300 Indonesians, 285 Filipinos, and 176 Vietnamese.

Acceptance under this system began with Indonesia in 2008, the Philippines in 2001, and Vietnam in 2014, and the Japan International Corporation of Welfare Services (JICWELS), a public interest incorporated association, is the sole acceptance coordinating organization that arranges candidates and related services under this system.

Requirements for obtaining the Designated Activities EPA status of residence differ for each of the three countries.

As a result, skills and Japanese language ability often differ depending on the nationality of the foreign national being hired.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Technical Intern Training and Specified Skilled Worker

Advantages of Technical Intern Training

Employment stability

Under the system, job changes are not permitted, which contributes to employment stability. Because they are in Japan strictly for training, unless there are special reasons, they basically continue Technical Intern Training at the same facility.

Exemption from Specified Skilled Worker exams

The skills exam and Japanese language exam that would otherwise be required when transitioning to Specified Skilled Worker become unnecessary.

To apply for the Specified Skilled Worker status of residence, it is normally necessary to pass the skills exam and one of the Japanese language exams, but these are unconditionally exempted.

Completing Technical Intern Training (ii) satisfies the requirements to apply for the Specified Skilled Worker status of residence.

Disadvantages of Technical Intern Training

High costs and burden

Many have no prior work experience and are coming to Japan for the first time, so the burden on accepting organizations for living support and similar assistance is also large. In addition, as less visible costs, various expenses arise such as fees for attending Japanese language school after entry (which is required), skills certification exam fees, and travel costs, and the effort involved in preparing various documents for system administration is also substantial.

There is a new establishment requirement

To accept technical intern trainees in the nursing care occupation, the accepting workplace must have been established for at least three years, and among nursing care statuses of residence, only Technical Intern Training has this kind of requirement.

Advantages of Specified Skilled Worker

Simple acceptance requirements

There are four statuses of residence available for accepting people in nursing care, but those who have completed Technical Intern Training (ii) can transition to Specified Skilled Worker unconditionally, and even when taking the Specified Skilled Worker evaluation exams, pass rates are relatively high, so meeting the acceptance requirements can be said to be simpler compared with other statuses of residence.

Simple post-acceptance administration

What most foreign nationals residing in Japan in the nursing care field aim for is the Nursing Care status of residence, which offers various privileges, but Designated Activities and Technical Intern Training involve many rules and the regular submission of complex reports. By contrast, Specified Skilled Worker only requires submission of a periodic report once every three months, so post-acceptance administration is very simple.

Disadvantages of Specified Skilled Worker

Complex status of residence application procedures

Since Specified Skilled Worker took effect in April 2019, application documents and related materials have continued to change frequently, and different rules exist depending on the nationality of the applicant, making application procedures complex.

In addition, accepting organizations must join the Specified Skilled Worker council, and after acceptance the council conducts periodic on-site visits to accepting workplaces.

Summary

This article introduced four nursing care statuses of residence.

For foreign nationals working in the nursing care field, the ultimate goal is often to obtain certified care worker qualifications and then the Nursing Care status of residence. While this also depends on the foreign national’s own efforts, accepting organizations need to study statuses of residence so that the shortest path to obtaining them is possible.

For the newly established Specified Skilled Worker status of residence, the government has set a target of accepting 60,000 people over the five years from implementation, and nursing care is the field where hiring foreign nationals is given the highest priority.

Going forward, it will be necessary to choose statuses of residence that allow organizations to enjoy the maximum benefits in this field, where the number of foreign nationals will continue to increase.