Japan looks to recruit more guest workers

HCM CITY (VNS)— More Vietnamese workers are scheduled to work in Japan this year, according to the Department of Overseas Labour Management.

Last October, the department approved labour contracts for 1,900 guest workers to be sent to Japan. In November, 1,999 contracts were processed, and in December, 1,720.

Pham Do Nhat Tan, deputy chairman of the Viet Nam Association of Manpower Supply, said that over the past few months, Japanese partners sent large orders for guest workers, with an average of 50-100 employees per order.

Hoang Van Hung, general director of the Tourist, Trade and Labour Export Joint-Stock Company, said that Japan was a difficult market to access for guest workers because of its strict job requirements.

On average, for every order from a Japanese company, only 10 to 15 Vietnamese workers are qualified for the job.

Recently, Japanese companies have sent many work orders that need a dozen or more workers each, according to Hung.

He estimated that about a total of 200 Vietnamese workers would be sent to Japan this year, double the figure last year.

Last year, the total number of Vietnamese guest workers hired in Japan reached 8,775.—VNS