How to Hire Vietnamese Nursing Care Talent in Osaka: A Practical Guide to Retention Support and Workplace Considerations

There are several reasons Vietnamese talent is chosen. First, a national character that values diligence and consideration for others has a strong affinity with the interpersonal support work of nursing care. Second, many learners in Vietnam reach Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N3–N4 level, so a certain degree of reliability can be expected in language acquisition. In addition, the strength of sending organizations in Vietnam and the deepening of Japan–Vietnam exchange over many years also support hiring. Details of the status of residence system can also be checked in e-Gov’s legal database (e-Gov).

Vietnamese Culture and Values and Their Affinity with Nursing Care Workplaces

To achieve retention after hiring, it is first important to understand the cultural foundation of Vietnamese society. Vietnamese society belongs to the Confucian cultural sphere, and a sense of belonging to family and group, along with respect for hierarchical relationships, form the core of its values.

Strong feelings toward family and parents

In Vietnam, “filial piety” ranks at the top of social virtues, and respect for older people is culturally deep-rooted. This value often appears naturally as careful engagement with care recipients in nursing care workplaces. Facility managers in Osaka frequently say that “Vietnamese staff can speak to residents in a natural way.”

Face (mentsu) and indirect communication

In Vietnamese culture, the consideration of “not causing someone to lose face in public” is rooted as a social norm. For that reason, staff tend to avoid stating work-related mistakes or questions directly in front of a supervisor. A reply of “I understand” often does not mean “I truly understand,” and one-way instructions alone make it hard to confirm that the work has been understood.

Hierarchy and the scope of autonomous action

Vietnam has a hierarchical social structure and respects instructions from elders and higher-ranking roles. However, there is a subtle gap with Japan’s “ho-ren-so” (report, contact, consult) culture, and a behavioral pattern of “not acting on one’s own judgment on matters that have not been instructed” can appear. Clearly putting the scope of authority and decision criteria into words is the first step in workplace retention support.

Harmony with the group and the effect of praise

There is a strong desire to maintain team harmony and a tendency to prefer cooperation over competition. Motivation often rises when people are appropriately praised in public, so it is effective to deliver evaluation feedback carefully and in a positive context.

Religion, Food, and Life Events: Year-Round Workplace Considerations in Practice

To employ Vietnamese talent for the long term, consideration not only for daily work but also for lifestyle culture, religion, food customs, and annual events is essential. At facilities that do not grasp these points, small frictions accumulate and lead to turnover.

Religion and faith

Many Vietnamese people practice Buddhism (Mahayana Buddhism), though the depth of faith varies by individual. There is no daily worship obligation, but many people value visiting temples on the 1st and 15th days of the lunar calendar. In addition, some may be culturally sensitive about work related to death and funerals (such as end-of-life care at nursing care facilities). It is desirable to confirm this through dialogue with the individual before acceptance.

Dietary restrictions and considerations

Dietary restrictions cannot be applied uniformly to Vietnamese people, but some staff practice religious vegetarian meals (shojin-style meals) for certain periods. It is not unusual for people to choose vegetarian food especially on lunar death anniversaries, the beginning of the month, or mid-month. If the facility provides meals (such as training-period meals) or has a staff cafeteria, confirming options is important. Pork and beef are often not a problem in principle, but individual confirmation must always be made.

Tet (Lunar New Year) and major annual events

The most important annual event for Vietnamese talent is the Lunar New Year (Tet / Tết Nguyên Đán). In 2027 it corresponds to late January through early February on the Gregorian calendar. During Tet, people strongly wish to return home and spend time with family, and understanding paid leave requests and shift adjustments at this time directly builds trust. Cases have been reported in the industry in which “not being able to go home for Tet” was the trigger for deciding to leave.

In addition, Obon (Ullambana / Uran) and the Mid-Autumn Festival (also celebrated in Vietnam as an important occasion of the mid-autumn moon) are spiritually important periods. Building these into the facility’s annual calendar in advance and planning shifts while talking with staff is an investment in long-term retention.

Ongoing support for Japanese language learning

Japanese is essential for care records, handovers, and communication with care recipients. Many facilities set N3 or higher as a hiring requirement, but everyday conversation and nursing care technical terms are different things. Facilities that systematically provide ongoing Japanese support after joining (learning materials, language support in OJT, practice handovers, and so on) tend to have higher retention rates. Osaka dialect (Kansai-ben) is hard for foreign nationals educated in standard Japanese to understand, and simply teaching key phrases early after joining greatly increases their sense of security.

Communication Styles and Ways to Improve How You Convey Messages

The challenges most often heard in workplace communication with Vietnamese staff are “the intent of instructions does not get across” and “reports come late even when problems occur.” In almost all cases this is not a matter of ability or motivation, but stems from differences in cultural communication style.

Shifting to an explanatory culture that conveys “why”

Vietnamese staff tend to act more autonomously and proactively when they understand the reason behind the work—“why we do it this way.” Conveying not only “do it this way” but also “because it benefits the care recipient for ○○ reason” raises the likelihood that they will internalize it and put it into practice.

Set regular one-on-one meetings

Because there is a tendency to avoid expressing opinions in group settings, weekly or monthly one-on-one meetings are highly effective. Creating a place to openly ask not only about work confirmation but also “Is anything troubling you now?” and “Is anything about the workplace environment on your mind?” leads to early detection of problems.

Mentoring by senior staff of the same nationality

At facilities that already have senior staff from Vietnam, having them serve as language and cultural bridges for newcomers can be expected to improve retention. Even when nationalities differ, community-building among foreign staff is effective. For workplace communication support for Myanmar talent, an article explained from a similar perspective is also useful.

Give feedback “individually and in private”

Criticism or pointing out issues in public risks damaging face. When conveying mistakes or points for improvement, make private dialogue away from other staff the rule. When praising, by contrast, appropriately recognizing someone in front of Japanese staff is often effective.

Common On-Site Consultations: Facing Barriers to Workplace Retention

As common on-site consultations, HR staff at nursing care facilities in Osaka raise points such as the following.

“They leave within three months of hiring”

Common backgrounds include (1) isolation in daily life (no acquaintances, difficulty understanding Osaka dialect, and so on), (2) anxiety about Japanese used on the job, and (3) anxiety from insufficient explanation of rules—“I don’t know what will get me scolded.” Strengthening the accepting facility’s initial orientation and providing information on Osaka Prefecture foreign resident support desks (such as the Osaka Foundation of International Exchange) at the time of joining is effective.

“I gave instructions, but they were not carried out”

As noted above, “I understand” often does not equal “I can do it.” We recommend switching understanding checks to a practice-based method: “have them repeat it back / have them actually demonstrate it.” The three OJT steps of “show → do it together → confirm” are especially effective.

“Trouble is occurring with other staff”

Much of the deterioration in relationships with Japanese staff arises from mutual lack of understanding of differences in communication style. Advance cultural-understanding training for Japanese staff (even about 30 minutes is fine) and sharing the acceptance posture across the whole team help prevent this.

“Paid leave was requested for the Tet period, but the facility refused”

This kind of response greatly damages trust with staff. Tet is the most important event, equivalent to Japan’s New Year. In many cases it can be handled through advance annual shift planning, so it is important to share the Tet period before hiring and before joining and to make the facility’s consideration policy clear.

Failure Patterns and How to Avoid Them: Points Hiring Managers Often Overlook

As failure patterns and avoidance measures, the following cases are repeatedly reported at nursing care sites in Osaka. As points hiring managers often overlook, please pay particular attention not only to systems and procedures but also to the “people” side.

Failure pattern 1: Leaving everything to the sending organization and skipping cultural understanding

Sending organizations handle status of residence procedures and pre-arrival Japanese education, but “adapting to workplace culture after joining” is the facility’s responsibility. The mindset that “we left it to the organization, so it will be fine” becomes a breeding ground for gaps. This can be addressed by institutionalizing a 60-day post-joining “cultural adaptation program” (facility rule explanation + Japanese support + one-on-one meetings).

Failure pattern 2: Overlooking mismatches between status of residence and job duties

Specified Skilled Worker (i) “Nursing Care” and Technical Intern Training “Nursing Care” differ in the scope of duties that may be performed. If facility managers and leaders do not grasp that difference, there is a risk of giving instructions that go beyond the scope of duties set by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan. It is essential to confirm the latest information that serves as decision criteria each time in official guidelines from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

Failure pattern 3: Over-relying on “N3 on paper” Japanese ability

JLPT N3 is a level at which “everyday Japanese is understood to a certain degree,” and it is sometimes insufficient for reading nursing care technical terms and facility-specific rules. Placing someone as ready workforce because they are “N3” without written support leads to on-the-job mistakes. Creating and distributing an original glossary focused on in-facility terms, and preparing manuals with ruby (furigana), are effective avoidance measures.

Failure pattern 4: Putting off housing and daily-life support as “something to think about after hiring”

After moving into Osaka City or nearby areas, establishing a daily-life base—housing, bank account opening, mobile phone contracts, and so on—can take longer than expected. Osaka dialect (Kansai-ben) also becomes a source of stress in procedures at government offices and financial institutions. Preparing an acceptance package that sets housing arrangements and a life orientation before joining can substantially reduce early turnover risk.

One more point hiring managers often overlook is shifting recognition from “hiring is the end” to “the 180 days after joining decide retention.” For the institutional framework and procedural details of hiring foreign workers, please also refer to our basic article on hiring foreign workers.

Flow: Six Practical Steps from Hiring Decision to Workplace Retention

Here we organize the flow from the hiring decision for Vietnamese nursing care staff through workplace retention in chronological order with the actions practical staff should take. Please use it as internal sharing material for the facility.

Step 1: Before hiring (from three months before arrival in Japan)

Have all facility managers and leaders confirm the type of status of residence (Technical Intern Training, Specified Skilled Worker (i), holders of certified care worker qualifications, and so on) and the scope of duties. Refer to the latest guidelines from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and prepare the acceptance plan. In parallel, secure housing and arrange the living environment (nearest station, supermarket, hospital information, and so on).

Step 2: Immediately before arrival (from one month before)

Complete the in-facility glossary and manuals with ruby. Conduct advance cultural-understanding training for Japanese staff (about 30 minutes). Grasp the timing of Tet and other major events and build them into the annual shift plan.

Step 3: First day through two weeks after joining

Conduct a life orientation (transportation, banking, medical care, emergency contacts, and foreign resident consultation desks in Osaka City). Advance job OJT with the three steps “show → do it together → confirm.” Set one-on-one meetings at least once a week.

Step 4: One to three months after joining

Continue Japanese support (weekly vocabulary and terminology checks). Evaluate job proficiency and deliver feedback individually and in private. Fully activate mentoring with senior staff of the same nationality.

Step 5: Three to six months after joining

Continue regular one-on-ones at least once a month. Implement special shift arrangements for the Tet period (especially important if it is the first Tet after arrival in Japan). Begin career-path dialogue (Specified Skilled Worker (ii), support for obtaining certified care worker qualifications, and so on).

Step 6: Six months after joining and beyond

Put in place systems for medium- to long-term retention (qualification support and transparent wage tables). Promote multicultural coexistence across the workplace (multilingual postings in the facility and regular cultural-understanding study sessions). For consultations on designing acceptance systems and support measures, contact the Foreign Talent Insights inquiry page.

Practical Checklist: Preparing to Accept Vietnamese Nursing Care Staff

As a practical checklist, please confirm the following items by stage—before acceptance, at joining, and after joining.

What to confirm before hiring and acceptance

• All managers and leaders understand the type of status of residence and the scope of duties
• Notifications and change notifications as an accepting organization to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan have been completed (for Specified Skilled Worker)
• The content of the acceptance support plan required by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has been confirmed and prepared
• Housing has been secured (rent, facilities, and location)
• An in-facility glossary and manuals with ruby are ready
• Key event periods such as Tet have been identified and reflected in shift planning
• Dates have been set for cultural awareness training for Japanese staff
• Information on foreign resident consultation desks in Osaka Prefecture (such as the Osaka Foundation of International Exchange) has been prepared

Items to confirm at onboarding

• A life orientation covering transportation, banking, medical care, and emergency contacts has been conducted
• The scope of duties and authority (what may be decided independently) has been clearly explained
• The first one-on-one meeting has been conducted
• A senior staff member or mentor of the same nationality has been introduced
• The foreign worker employment status notification to Hello Work has been completed (if the worker is covered by employment insurance)

Items to confirm within three months of joining

• Japanese language support (terminology checks and handoff practice) is ongoing
• Individual evaluation of job proficiency and feedback have been provided
• Shift adjustments accommodating Tet and lunar calendar events have been agreed
• Career paths (including support for obtaining qualifications) have been explained
• It has been confirmed that no particular issues have arisen in building relationships with Japanese staff

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. Which status of residence applies when hiring Vietnamese nursing care staff in Osaka?

In the nursing care field, three main options are used: Technical Intern Training (nursing care), Specified Skilled Worker (i) (nursing care), and “Nursing Care” (for holders of the certified care worker qualification). Because the scope of work, period of stay, and whether family accompaniment is permitted differ for each, it is important to choose based on the facility’s hiring policy and long-term plans. Please confirm the latest requirements in official information from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan.

Q2. Can Vietnamese staff keep up with the Osaka dialect (Kansai-ben)?

Dialect can easily become a barrier in the early period after joining. It is effective to base orientation on standard Japanese and teach major Kansai-ben expressions in advance (such as “〜yade,” “〜shiharu,” and “〜chau”). To prevent confusion in conversations with care recipients, we recommend ongoing OJT follow-up for the first one to two months after joining.

Q3. How should facilities address the risk of staff shortages during Tet (Lunar New Year)?

The basic approach is to clearly note the Tet period at the annual shift-planning stage and arrange early for substitute coverage or paid leave requests. Because consideration for Tet is directly linked to trust, it is important to confirm early after joining how the employee would like to handle Tet this year and reach agreement.

Q4. Can facilities post job openings for Vietnamese talent through Hello Work?

Hello Work also handles job postings and specialized consultations for foreign workers. However, because postings target international talent who already hold a status of residence, the type of status of residence and the job duties must be compatible. For hiring specialized foreign nursing care talent, it is also effective to work with sending organizations and Registered Support Organizations.

Q5. Where should nursing care facilities file notifications when accepting Specified Skilled Worker foreign nationals?

Nursing care facilities that accept Specified Skilled Worker foreign nationals must file notifications with the Immigration Services Agency of Japan and, as an additional sector-specific requirement, join the “Nursing Care Specified Skilled Worker Council regarding the acceptance of Specified Skilled Worker foreign nationals in the nursing care field.” They are also required to prepare an acceptance support plan as stipulated by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Please check the official pages of both agencies for details.

Conclusion

The key to hiring and retaining Vietnamese nursing care staff in Osaka lies, alongside putting systems and procedures in place, in a deep understanding of and practical consideration for Vietnam’s culture, values, and daily customs. Shift consideration for Tet, individual feedback that does not damage face, ongoing Japanese language support, institutionalizing one-on-one meetings, and a facility-wide stance of multicultural coexistence—these may look like small cumulative steps, but they are investments that directly affect long-term retention rates.

In Osaka’s nursing care industry, where labor shortages are accelerating, keeping Vietnamese talent productive over the long term requires shifting the perspective from a “hiring goal” to a “retention goal.” If you need specialized support from hiring plan design through post-onboarding retention support design, please contact Foreign Talent Insights.

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*Written by: Foreign Talent Insights Editorial Team*

Related articles: Practical topics to review together

Please also review practical articles on related themes as needed.

• Understanding Vietnamese talent’s sense of money calculation—a practical guide to salary explanations and workplace retention
• Vietnamese daily culture and workplace retention | A practical guide HR professionals should know
• Features of the Vietnamese language and workplace retention | A practical communication guide hiring managers should know

Checklist before hiring Vietnamese nursing care talent in Osaka

When hiring Vietnamese nursing care talent in Osaka, it is important to specify not only job conditions but also commuting, housing, Japanese language education, and night-shift arrangements before hiring. In addition to confirming the Specified Skilled Worker and Technical Intern Training systems, deciding in advance who will serve as the facility’s training lead can reduce confusion after onboarding.

90-day post-hire retention support checklist

The first 90 days after joining is a period when Japanese for care records, conversations with care recipients, handoffs, anxiety before night shifts, and questions about dormitories or living expenses often pile up. Prepare weekly short meetings, work notes in plain Japanese, and consultation channels that do not rely solely on compatriots.

To review the overall system, also check the Specified Skilled Worker basics guide; this helps you organize hiring conditions and retention support separately.

FAQ: Hiring Vietnamese nursing care staff in Osaka

Q. What should Osaka nursing care facilities put in place first? A. Four points: Japanese language education, housing and commuting, pre-night-shift training, and a designated contact for consultation. Being able to explain these before hiring reduces mismatches.

Q. What should be confirmed in interviews? A. Beyond nursing care experience, confirm understanding of night shifts, anxiety about conversations with care recipients, family remittance and housing preferences, and motivation to continue learning Japanese.