Japan is now the new work destination for Indian nurses
The Hindu
Japan is the newest addition to the list of countries that are actively scouting and opening their doors for skilled Indian nurses and other healthcare support staff.
Japan is the newest addition to the list of countries that are actively scouting and opening their doors for skilled Indian nurses and other healthcare support staff.
With its healthcare sector grappling with a rapidly aging population, nurses from Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam currently dominate the job market for caregivers in Japan. Indian nurses and trained medical staff are now entering the market as well.
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“Salary that is eight to ten times the Indian remuneration, plus the chance to work and learn cutting edge medical technology for assisted care, and the ability to save anywhere between ₹40,000 to ₹1 lakh a month — these are the main attractions driving the Indian workforce to Japan,’’ said Abhishek Singh, COO, Learnet Skills Limited, a sending organisation for the Technical Intern Training Program (TITP) programme and a skill development venture.
More than 20% of Japan’s population is over 65 years, the world’s highest proportion of senior citizens. As per a report by McKinsey, Japan’s working-age population will decline to 71 million in 2025 from 79 million in 2012, and its dependency ratio is set to soar from 0.60 to 0.73 over the same period. There are not enough young people in Japan to fill this vacuum, due to the decline in its fertility rate. In response to this demographic situation, the government of Japan has taken up measures such as the TITP, which promotes the acceptance of foreign human resources, who acquire skills and knowledge by working as technical interns in Japan.
For Indian caregivers, Japan currently offers a three-year visa, which is extendable by two years. Caregivers who opt to stay back after that five year period must pass a language and nursing test to continue working in Japan.
Puspha Kumari, a health worker from Okhla, has done a short course in patient care, and is now working in Japan along with her sister. They are both happy with the opportunity, she told The Hindu.