Kathmandu (The Kathmandu Post) - Japan and Nepal have agreed to devise a new labour mechanism at the earliest for sending Nepali workers to Japan.
The agreement was reached during a meeting with a high level Japanese delegation that came to Nepal on Wednesday to discuss the prospect of migration of Nepali workers after the Japanese government unveiled its plan last month.
Japanese delegation and Nepali officials, led by joint secretary Ram Prasad Ghimire, who is also chief of labour relations and social security division at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, formally discussed the various aspects of Nepali workers’ migration to Japan.
According labour ministry spokesperson Narayn Regmi, the Japanese team informed the Nepali side about their latest legal provisions related to the management of foreign labour force and latest changes in its immigration policy which opened the door for hiring a massive labour force.
“We discussed the entire gamut of labour-related provisions in Japan so that Nepali labours can be sent to Japan in an organised, safe and dignified manner that would ensure mutual benefit to both the countries,” Regmi said.
Amending its immigration laws, Japan in December, 2018, decided to welcome blue-collar workers from certain countries including Nepal.
The Labour Ministry has already received a formal letter from Japanese government that informed the government about Nepal being one of the countries from where Japan would be hiring workers as per their new plan.
“During the meeting, Nepali side implored on creating a relevant method, system and mechanism based on transparent and competitive ideas that would incorporate globally established models and criteria in the field of migrant labour,” said spokesperson Regmi.
Officials from both the countries also agreed to carry out further homework for creating conducive environment for sending migrant workers to Japan as per the new system. The Labour Ministry has also started drafting a memorandum of understanding for the same.
In the first five years of its plan, Japan will assimilate about 345,000 foreign workers to work across 14 industrial sectors that include nursing care, janitorial work, manufacturing, the hotel industry, agriculture and fishing, as well as food processing and food services.
Labour ministry officials had told the Post that the Japanese government showed interest in hiring Nepali workers mainly in caregiving and hospitality sector.
To be qualified for Japanese labour market, the potential candidates must pass the skill test and meet the language requirements.
Before the departure of Nepali workers to Japan, both countries need to finalise language and skill test models as well as required mechanisms for pre-departure processes.
Talking with the Post, Labour Minister Gokarna Bista said the formal discussion between both countries has just begun and the negotiation is at the preliminary phase.
“It will take at least a few months for finalising the mechanisms required for facilitating labour departure,” Bista said.
During the meeting, officials from both the sides also agreed on continuing the bilateral cooperation between Nepal and Japan so that the skills and experience of Nepali migrant workers in Japan can be utilised in Nepal’s development efforts through entrepreneurial activities in the future.
