How Filipino nurses can work in Japan

INQUIRER.net
First Posted 16:07:00 06/04/2009

MANILA, Philippines—The details of how Filipino nurses and caregivers who graduated from Philippine schools can work in Japan will be the subject of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that the Philippines and Japan are scheduled to sign tomorrow, June 5.

In a statement, the Japanese embassy here said the MOU is on school courses under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) on the Movement of Natural Persons.

The MOU clarifies the provisions and processes of deployment and acceptance of Filipino candidates for nurses and caregivers. The main processes are: publicity and the recruitment of Filipino candidates and institutions; matching of Filipino candidates with corresponding institutions; finalization of employment contracts; and the entry of Filipino candidates into Japan.

The MOU focuses on a two- to four-year school course for caregiver candidates. All candidates will enroll in a caregiver school in Japan and will be qualified as certified care workers upon completion of the course.

After the signing, both the Japan International Corporation of Welfare Services (Jicwels) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) will start preparations for sending and receiving Filipino candidates. JPEPA itself has been effective since December 11, 2008.

Takashi Tsunoda, managing director of Jicwels, a public organization related to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and Chairman Emmanuel Angeles of the CHEd are the signatories for the MOU.

Ambassador Makoto Katsura of Japan will witness the signing ceremony at the HEDC Building in the University of the Philippines-Diliman.