日比EPAに基づく看護師・介護士の受け入れが今年から（ようやく）始まることを告げるフィリピンの労働雇用省のプレスリリース。フィリピン側のEPAスキームに対する関心の内容が読み取れる。
EPAスキーム運営に関して、POEAと国際厚生事業団の間に交わされた覚書やQ&Aは海外雇用局（POEA)ウエブサイトのここのページからダウンロードできる。
まずフィリピンで一番問題となったのが、このスキームを誰が運営するかということ。選択肢としては、民間に任せるか、政府間で直接運営するかというところだ。日本側としては、悪名高い斡旋業者の介入を防ぐためにも直接フィリピン海外雇用局（POEA)に斡旋業務を委託したい。お隣韓国の単純労働者受け入れ制度も同じ理由から政府間で運営されている。ただ、政府間で受け入れを実施することになると、民間斡旋業者（とくに数少ないが、労働者に斡旋料を徴収しないフィリピンの優良斡旋業者）からのバッシングは避けられない。なぜ官が民の仕事を横取りするのか、という議論である。ちなみに２０１０年にはフィリピンの大統領選が控えている。
もうひとつ重大な問題は労働環境と賃金。EPAスキームが研修制度の二の舞を踏むようなことがあってはならない。覚書の１５条には、受け入れプロセスの日本の法律の遵守を唱っているが、特に最低賃金などの明記はない。このスキームがフィリピン人看護師・介護士の買い叩きを誘発することがないことを切に望む。
この日比EPAスキームにどこまで優秀な人材が集まるのかは重大関心事項だ。優秀な人材を確保できなければ、資格試験合格率もぐんと下がる恐れがある。現在オーストラリアやカナダが看護師や介護士の受け入れに旺盛で競合は免れない。ちなみに、カナダで就労する介護士は、２年で永住権が取れる。すでに人材募集が始まっているので、また近況をお伝えできる予定。
Japan to recruit Pinoy nurses, caregivers starting this year
Monday, January 12, 2009
Starting this year, Japan would recruit Filipino nurses and caregivers for training and employment in that country under the Economic Partnership Agreement between Japan and the Philippines (JPEPA), Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito D. Roque announced Monday.
Roque said the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Japan International Corporation of Welfare Services (JICWELS) entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) providing for the recruitment of Filipino nurses as candidate-kangoshi and caregivers as candidate-kaigofukushishi to Japan under the Framework for the Movement of Natural Persons of JPEPA, which came into force on Dec. 11, 2008.
POEA Administrator Jennifer Jardin-Manalili and signed for the Philippine side, while Japan was represented by Takashi Tsunoda, managing director of JICWELS. The signing of the MOU at the Blas F. Ople Development Center in Intramuros, Manila and witnessed by Secretary Roque.
Roque said the MOU provides for the roles and responsibilities of the two parties and the working conditions for the Filipino nurses and caregivers, that would ensure their welfare and protection while training and working in Japan.
He said the hiring program shall commence with the initial recruitment of 200 Filipino nurses and 300 caregivers whom the POEA would endorse to JICWELS. The latter, for its part, would match the nurses and caregivers to hospitals and institutions in Japan that it had pre-qualified to receive the Filipino candidates.
He said the Filipino nurses and caregivers shall be covered by a fully transparent employment contract adding the Filipinos shall receive the same salaries equivalent to what Japanese nurses and caregivers receive, based on similar tasks and qualifications.
For her part, Administrator Manilili said that prior to their actual work with their respective employers in Japan, the selected candidates shall nonetheless undergo a six-month language and culture training. During the training, the candidates shall receive allowance of not less than 40,000 yen or more than P21,000 per month.
"The language training shall help them prepare to eventually take the Japanese licensure examination. The examinations can be taken not more than three chances within three years in the case of candidate-nurses, and once on the 4th year of stay in the case of candidate-caregivers," Manalili said.
She added that before obtaining their qualification as full-fledged nurse in Japan, candidate-nurses shall work under the supervision of a Japanese Kangoshi to fully familiarize them with the Japanese system. After passing the licensure or certification examinations, the fully qualified nurse and certified caregiver shall have the option to stay for an unlimited period in Japan to practice their profession based on new and upgraded employment contract with their employer.
Registered nurses with at least three years experience are qualified to apply for training and employment in Japan. Candidate caregivers, on the other hand, should be a graduate of a four-year course and should be certified by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). Graduates of a nursing course may also apply as caregiver.
Applicants shall be required to undergo an aptitude test and interview by JICWELS to facilitate their matching with employers,. After selection, they must pass the required medical examination to conclude the employment contract and to successfully qualify to enter Japan. Nominal expenses of application shall be borne by applicants for document submission/authentication, medical examination (P1,500 basic) and visa fee (P1,150).
Airfare and onsite training costs are shouldered by the employers or the Government of Japan.
Qualified nurses and candidates are invited to apply with the POEA and to register online at www.eregister.poea.gov.ph.
source: Information and Publication Service
EPAスキーム運営に関して、POEAと国際厚生事業団の間に交わされた覚書やQ&Aは海外雇用局（POEA)ウエブサイトのここのページからダウンロードできる。
まずフィリピンで一番問題となったのが、このスキームを誰が運営するかということ。選択肢としては、民間に任せるか、政府間で直接運営するかというところだ。日本側としては、悪名高い斡旋業者の介入を防ぐためにも直接フィリピン海外雇用局（POEA)に斡旋業務を委託したい。お隣韓国の単純労働者受け入れ制度も同じ理由から政府間で運営されている。ただ、政府間で受け入れを実施することになると、民間斡旋業者（とくに数少ないが、労働者に斡旋料を徴収しないフィリピンの優良斡旋業者）からのバッシングは避けられない。なぜ官が民の仕事を横取りするのか、という議論である。ちなみに２０１０年にはフィリピンの大統領選が控えている。
もうひとつ重大な問題は労働環境と賃金。EPAスキームが研修制度の二の舞を踏むようなことがあってはならない。覚書の１５条には、受け入れプロセスの日本の法律の遵守を唱っているが、特に最低賃金などの明記はない。このスキームがフィリピン人看護師・介護士の買い叩きを誘発することがないことを切に望む。
この日比EPAスキームにどこまで優秀な人材が集まるのかは重大関心事項だ。優秀な人材を確保できなければ、資格試験合格率もぐんと下がる恐れがある。現在オーストラリアやカナダが看護師や介護士の受け入れに旺盛で競合は免れない。ちなみに、カナダで就労する介護士は、２年で永住権が取れる。すでに人材募集が始まっているので、また近況をお伝えできる予定。
Japan to recruit Pinoy nurses, caregivers starting this year
Monday, January 12, 2009
Starting this year, Japan would recruit Filipino nurses and caregivers for training and employment in that country under the Economic Partnership Agreement between Japan and the Philippines (JPEPA), Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito D. Roque announced Monday.
Roque said the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Japan International Corporation of Welfare Services (JICWELS) entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) providing for the recruitment of Filipino nurses as candidate-kangoshi and caregivers as candidate-kaigofukushishi to Japan under the Framework for the Movement of Natural Persons of JPEPA, which came into force on Dec. 11, 2008.
POEA Administrator Jennifer Jardin-Manalili and signed for the Philippine side, while Japan was represented by Takashi Tsunoda, managing director of JICWELS. The signing of the MOU at the Blas F. Ople Development Center in Intramuros, Manila and witnessed by Secretary Roque.
Roque said the MOU provides for the roles and responsibilities of the two parties and the working conditions for the Filipino nurses and caregivers, that would ensure their welfare and protection while training and working in Japan.
He said the hiring program shall commence with the initial recruitment of 200 Filipino nurses and 300 caregivers whom the POEA would endorse to JICWELS. The latter, for its part, would match the nurses and caregivers to hospitals and institutions in Japan that it had pre-qualified to receive the Filipino candidates.
He said the Filipino nurses and caregivers shall be covered by a fully transparent employment contract adding the Filipinos shall receive the same salaries equivalent to what Japanese nurses and caregivers receive, based on similar tasks and qualifications.
For her part, Administrator Manilili said that prior to their actual work with their respective employers in Japan, the selected candidates shall nonetheless undergo a six-month language and culture training. During the training, the candidates shall receive allowance of not less than 40,000 yen or more than P21,000 per month.
"The language training shall help them prepare to eventually take the Japanese licensure examination. The examinations can be taken not more than three chances within three years in the case of candidate-nurses, and once on the 4th year of stay in the case of candidate-caregivers," Manalili said.
She added that before obtaining their qualification as full-fledged nurse in Japan, candidate-nurses shall work under the supervision of a Japanese Kangoshi to fully familiarize them with the Japanese system. After passing the licensure or certification examinations, the fully qualified nurse and certified caregiver shall have the option to stay for an unlimited period in Japan to practice their profession based on new and upgraded employment contract with their employer.
Registered nurses with at least three years experience are qualified to apply for training and employment in Japan. Candidate caregivers, on the other hand, should be a graduate of a four-year course and should be certified by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). Graduates of a nursing course may also apply as caregiver.
Applicants shall be required to undergo an aptitude test and interview by JICWELS to facilitate their matching with employers,. After selection, they must pass the required medical examination to conclude the employment contract and to successfully qualify to enter Japan. Nominal expenses of application shall be borne by applicants for document submission/authentication, medical examination (P1,500 basic) and visa fee (P1,150).
Airfare and onsite training costs are shouldered by the employers or the Government of Japan.
Qualified nurses and candidates are invited to apply with the POEA and to register online at www.eregister.poea.gov.ph.
source: Information and Publication Service
