Useful information for people of Pakistan who are interested in working in Japan

There are basically three categories for people of Pakistan to work in Japan. Those are ”Technical Intern Training”, ”Specified Skilled Worker”, ”Other category” (profession requiring higher expertise, technique or other element)”. Followings is the summary on each category for your information.
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1. “Technical Intern Training”
(1)Background information
-The purpose of this program is to transfer technical skills, techniques and knowledge to foreign counties including Pakistan, through an experience of “On the Job Training (OJT)”in Japan, to contribute to the human resource development by the development of the economy of that country. This would thus promote international cooperation.
-The Government of Japan and the Government of Pakistan have signed the Memorandum of Cooperation on this program in February 2019.

(2)Requirements for the foreign nationals
-Foreign nationals must first check with the Government of Pakistan for its requirements to send people to Japan under this program.
-Foreign nationals should be at least 18 years old with good health condition.
-Foreign nationals should be well adapted to learn technical skill, techniques and knowledge through the intern program in Japan.

(3)Period of stay
-Maximum 5 years (1^st year for “Technical Intern Training (i)”, 2^nd and 3^rd year for “Technical Intern Training (ii)”, 4^th and 5^th year for “Technical Intern Training (iii)”)
*Practical skill test is required to proceed to the next level of training.
*Written test is required for those foreign nationals from Technical Intern Training (i) to (ii).

(4)Payment
-Payment level should be the same as or more than that for Japanese employees (Please be noted that this will vary depends on each condition, environment and area where foreign nationals will be working.).

(5)Organizations in charge in Pakistan
-The Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training of the Government of Pakistan nominated “National Vocational & Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC)” and “National University of Technology (NUTECH)” as sending organizations in Pakistan. Those two are to carry out necessary service including recruitment of candidates in collaboration with Japanese counterparts.

(6)Other useful information
-Foreign nationals who have successfully completed “Technical Intern Training (ii)” are exempted from tests that are normally required for “Specified Skilled Worker (i)”.
-Change of workplace in Japan is basically not permitted.

2. “Specified Skilled Worker”
(1)Background information
-The Government of Japan has created a new status of residence for the “Specified Skilled Worker” that became effective on April, 2019 to face/deal with serious shortage of labor due to its aging society,
-The Government of Japan and the Government of Pakistan have signed the Memorandum of Cooperation on this program in December 2019.

[Common requirements for the “Specified Skilled Worker (i) and (ii)]
-Foreign nationals should be at least 18 years old with good health condition.
-Foreign nationals should hold passports issued by the foreign government that cooperates implementation of smooth deportation if necessary.
-Foreign nationals should not pay a deposit and should not enter into a contract stipulating the payment of penalties.
-Foreign nationals should understand and reach agreement on the expenses, if they have to make a payment for expenses such as traveling cost to supporting organizations.
-Foreign nationals should have completed necessary procedures and requirements by the sending country if any.
-If foreign nationals have to pay for the expenses of living such as food and housing in Japan, they should fully understand the content of the expenses and should reach agreement with accepting organizations. At the same time, the amount of expenses should be appropriate level of actual expenses, which should be proved with written document.
-Foreign nationals should meet the standards/regulations which are unique to each 14 field.

[Requirements for “Specified Skilled Worker (i)]
-Foreign nationals have to prove their necessary level of skill and Japanese proficiency by appropriate means such as passing skill test (different type of test in 14 fields (see below *) and Japanese language test(see below *)). Foreign nationals who have successfully completed “Technical Intern Training (ii)” are exempted from tests that are normally required for “Specified Skilled Worker (i)”.
*14 fields:
“Care worker”, “Building cleaning management”, “Machine parts & tooling industries”, “Industrial Machinery industries”, “Electric, electronics and information industries”, “Construction industry”, “Shipbuilding & ship machinery industry”, “Automobile repair & maintenance”, “Aviation industry”, “Accommodation industry”, “Agriculture”, “Fishery & aquaculture”, “Manufacture of food and beverages”, “Food service industry”
*Japanese language test:
N4 level or higher of Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is required. JLPT will be held on July 5^th and December 6^th at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) in Islamabad and on December 6^th at the Japanese Consulate in Karachi. Application for JLPT on July 5^th began on March 9^th and due on March 27^th. Studying online is an option. (https://www.jlpt.jp/samples/forlearners.html , https://marugotoweb.jp/en/)
Foreign nationals who are studying at the Japanese language schools in Japan have an option to apply to the “Specified Skilled Worker” if they pass the skill and language test conducted in Japan.

[Requirements for “Specified Skilled Worker (ii)] *This is a status of residence for foreign nationals with higher skill compared with the “Specified Skilled Worker (i). Currently only two fields (“Construction industry” and “Shipbuilding & ship machinery industry”) are applicable.
-Foreign nationals should prove necessary skills by a test or other means.

(3)Period of stay
-5 years in total at the maximum for the “Specified Skilled Worker (i)”
-No maximum period of stay for the “Specified Skilled Worker (ii)”

(5)Organizations in charge in Pakistan
-The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development of the Government of Pakistan

(6)Other useful information
-Change of workplace in the same job category (Type of work) can be permitted.
-Family members are not allowed to accompany for the “Specified Skilled Worker (i)”. Exceptions are for the “Specified Skilled Worker (ii)”.

3. “Other category (profession requiring higher expertise, technique or other element)”
-This category has a variety of fields. For example, following is the information on the status of residence on the “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services”:
-This status of residence is permitted for foreigners who have higher expertise, technique such as academic
background or career history with a contract with public/private entity in Japan. IT software engineers are included
in this status of residence. This doesn’t have any restriction on the period of stay in Japan which is required for the
“Technical Intern Training” and the “Specified Skilled Worker”.

Japan initiates for importing skilled manpower from Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Mar 19 (APP):The Japanese government has initiated process of importing skilled manpower from Pakistan in 14 different sectors aimed to providing employment opportunities for Pakistanis labor force, Minister and Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Japan in Pakistan Yusuke Shindo told APP.

Sharing strategy and action plan with APP here Thursday, he said that application have been invited from skilled Pakistanis, who can submit their application along with their particulars by April 27 for recruitment in relevant sectors.

The candidates would have to go through Japanese language test in July 2020 before their final selection for recruitment, he said adding that the test would be conducted at National University of Modern Languages (NUML) Islamabad.

The diplomat said that three different categories were part of plan including Technical Intern, ‘Specified Skilled Workers’ and highly skilled professional.
He said that in Japanese Market, Pakistan has a huge share in importing 3, 45 000 skilled manpower from 10 countries of the world.

Yusuke Shindo said the Government of Pakistan (GoP) had nominated, National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) and National University of Technology (NUTEC) for carrying out necessary service including recruitment of candidates in collaboration with Japanese counterparts.

He also emphasized that the Japanese embassy in Islamabad had not hired any other promoter or facilitator for continuing the process of labor import from Pakistan, instead of these two above mentioned institution nominated by Pakistan’s government.

Senior diplomat said that the process of recruitment would continue every year for next five years to import the labor according to the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) signed between Japan and Pakistan in December 23, 2019 in Islamabad.

He made it clear that there was no particular quota for any of these 10 countries around the world and hoped that Pakistani would get maximum benefits from this huge opportunity in the Japanese market.

Mentioning the skilled and language proficiency for all three categories, he said that purpose of first category of ‘Technical Intern Training’ program is to transfer technical skills, techniques and knowledge to foreign countries including Pakistan, through an experience of ‘On Job Training (OJT) to contribute to the human resources development in Pakistan.

For this program, he said that Japan and Pakistan has also signed Memorandum of Cooperation on February 2019 in Tokyo.

He informed that the foreign national, who have successfully completed “Technical Intern Training are exempted from tests that are normally required for other two categories.

While giving information regarding the second category of ‘Specified Skilled Workers’, he said that for this program both sides had signed the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) in last December 23 and through this agreement foreign national have to prove their necessary level of skill and Japanese language proficiency by appropriate means such as passing skills and language test in different 14 skilled sectors accordingly.

This is a status of residence for foreign nationals with higher skill compared with the ‘Specified Skilled workers.

Currently only two fields, Construction industry, Shipping and ship machinery industry were applicable and candidates should prove necessary skills by a test or other means.

While informed that the third category of highly skilled covers a variety of fields including engineering, specialist in humanities and international services.

The status of residence is permitted for foreigners, who have higher expertise, techniques such as academic background or career history with a contract with public and private entity in Japan.

Japanese envoy said that Information Technology (IT) software engineer are included in this status of residence.

According to MoC signed between both sides, the agreement will open new avenues for Pakistanis to work in 14 Japanese sectors, including nursing care, building clinic, agriculture, fisheries, hotel management, food and beverages, aircraft maintenance and airports ground handling staff, shipbuilding, material processing, industrial machinery, constructions, car mechanic, electronics and electronic machinery in cards to import skilled labor force.

Yusuke Shindo said that in current scenario, Japan was facing shortage of labor force, “We need to import skilled laborers from 10 countries including Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and other Association of South East Asian Nations (ASAIN).

He also praised the Pakistani workers who were working in Japan, saying that they were more skilled and working with full commitment and honesty.
He said that professional skills and proficiency in Japanese language would be must for workers to work in Japan under this policy.

Senior diplomat said that Japan and Pakistan have enjoyed historical diplomatic and economic relation, where Japan has always supported Pakistan in every situation.

Replying to a question, the ambassador said that Pakistan and Japan are looking for increasing bilateral cooperation in agricultural-based industry and value addition as Japan has already announced grant aid to enhance productivity in relevant agricultural fields.

Source: Associated Press of Pakistan