The Department of Labor and Employment disclosed that Japan is not yet hiring nursing care professionals because the negotiations for the employment these Filipino professionals are still ongoing.

According to Labor and Employment Secretary Patricia A. Sto. Tomas, the Joint Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) is still being finalized and so the market for Filipino nursing care professionals in Japan is still close.

The JPEPA would set the terms of economic cooperation between Japan and Philippines in the areas of trade, investment promotion, information technology, tourism, and movement of natural persons that includes the employment of Filipino nurses and caregivers and other health care professionals in Japan.

Sto. Tomas stressed that even though Japan has offered employment opportunity for Filipino nurses and care-givers, the provision on the movement of nationals including the deployment of Filipino nurses and caregivers and other overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Japan is yet to be finished.

She said that the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is still waiting for the forging of the JPEPA and the subsequent go-signal from Japan for the deployment of Filipino nurses and caregivers to this country.

"Japan has acknowledged the skills and the well-known capability of Filipino nurses and caregivers to provide quality and excellent service to their wards," Sto. Tomas said adding "it is looking at Filipino health care professionals to take care of its elderly but it is not yet hiring them at present."

Source: DOLE Information and Publication Service