Philippines, Japan group sign note on Filipino nurses, caregivers

MANILA, Jan. 12 Kyodo - Japan International Corporation of Welfare Services, a semi-governmental
organization, and the Philippine government agreed Monday to start from this year
accepting Filipino nurses and caregivers who wish to undergo training and work in
Japan under the economic partnership agreement between Japan and the Philippines.
Labor Secretary Marianito Roque witnessed the signing of a note between the
Philippine Department of Labor and Employment and the group that will pave the
way for the recruitment of Filipino nurses or ''kangoshi'' and caregivers or
kaigofukushi.''
The agreement details rules with respect to the deployment and acceptance of
Filipino registered nurses and certified caregivers.
Roque said the hiring program will start with an initial recruitment of 200
Filipino nurses and 300 caregivers who will be endorsed by the Philippine
Overseas Employment Administration to JICWELS.
JICWELS will look for the hospitals and healthcare institutions in Japan
willing to hire the qualified Filipino nurses.
Filipino nurses and caregivers will have to undergo a six-month language and
culture training in Japan.
During the training, employment group Administrator Jennifer Jardin-Manalili
said the candidates will receive allowances of not less than 40,000 yen.
''The language training will help these candidates prepare to eventually take
the Japanese licensure examination. The examination can be taken not more than
three times within three years in the case of nurses and once on the fourth
year of stay in the case of caregivers,'' Jardin-Manalili said.
Before qualifying as full-pledge nurses in Japan, she said candidate nurses
will work under close supervision of a Japanese ''kangoshi'' to familiarize
them with the Japanese system.
After passing licensure exams, Jardin-Manalili said the qualified nurses and
certified caregivers will have the option to stay for an unlimited period in
Japan to practice their professions based on new and upgraded employment
contracts with their employers.
Registered nurses with at least three years experience are qualified to apply
for training and employment in Japan.
Caregivers should be graduated from a four-year course and should be certified
by the Philippines Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
Graduates of nursing courses may also apply as caregivers, Jardin-Manalili said.
All applicants will be required to undergo an aptitude test and an interview
with JICWELS to ease their matching with employers.
If selected, an applicant will be required to undergo a medical examination
before signing an employment contract to go to Japan to begin training.
Jardin-Manalili said that ''nominal'' expenses for the processing of
applications will be paid by the applicants, including medical examination fees
and visa fees.
Both sides agreed that the Jardin-Manalili's group will act as the only
deploying agency and JICWELS will act as the only accepting agency in Japan,
the note says.
Regarding the payment of fees, the memorandum said JICWELS will collect from
prospective employers and pay to the Philippine side $425 for processing fee,
inclusive of contract guarantee, and $25 as contribution to the Worker's
Welfare Fund per candidate.
''Such payment shall not, in any way, be levied on the (applicant),'' the note
says.
The Philippine group will give a pre-departure seminar to qualified Filipino
health workers who get employment contracts.
JICWELS is to make sure the Japanese employer or a person who will give the
Japanese language training in Japan pays the transportation expenses of
prospective employees from the Philippines to Japan, including a meeting
service at the airport and an orientation seminar after entry into Japan.
Jardin-Manalili signed for the Philippine government while Takashi Tsunoda,
JICWELS managing director, signed for Japan.
==Kyodo
2009-01-12 21:11:28