DAVAO CITY—The Japanese embassy has announced it would hold a jobs fair at the end of next month to allow returning Filipino nurses and caregivers to have another chance to work, right in the Philippines, for entities or companies that require the skills they honed when they were working in Japan under the Jpepa program.
The embassy said the event would benefit the returnees, who obtained the Japanese licensure, or even those who were unable to obtain the Japanese licensure, to allow them to continue their work in Japan after the conclusion of their initial contract of between three and five years.
The same opportunity would be provided to those who opted to return and stay back home in the Philippines, it said.
Japan has been accepting Filipino “nurse and caregiver candidates” under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement. Since then, more than 700 of them have already returned to the Philippines. The Jpepa was signed in 2006.
The jobs fair would be conducted on July 31at the Makati Diamond Residences.
“Their experience of working in hospitals or caregiving facilities in Japan under the direct guidance of their Japanese supervisors, and superior knowledge and skills in this field, make them valuable prospects for Japanese companies looking for this particular work experience,” the embassy said.
Apart from being familiar with the Japanese working environment, “they have also acquired basic conversation ability in Japanese as they have been educated for six to 12 months of extensive basic Japanese language training provided by the Japanese government, plus their years of stay in Japan,” it added.
The embassy said it has held an annual job fair beginning in 2012 with Japanese companies and medical institutes. “This initiative is a gesture of the Japanese government’s commitment to assist the returning Filipino nurse and caregiver candidates in finding opportunities, which will enable them to continue to apply the knowledge and skills they gained in Japan.”
It hoped that the continued work opportunity given to Filipinos would help “further strengthen the relationship between Japan and the Philippines”.
Last year, some 50 returning Filipinos and 35 companies participated in the job fair as Japanese companies in sectors of manufacturing and education-related industries expressed their need of Japanese-speaking Filipino staff.
“Through the past job fairs, several returnees were hired as company nurses, Japanese language teachers, interpreters, and office staff. More Japanese companies, medical institutes, and even more Jpepa returnees are expected to attend this year,” it added.
The Embassy said it was accepting applications for participants until July 13.