The number of people with a status of residence of long-term care workers under the "specific skill" system, which has begun to be quiet, is more than 2,000, which is far below the initial forecast.
Immigration restrictions will continue due to infection control measures for the new coronavirus, and there is a risk that the labor shortage at nursing care sites will become more serious.
The "Specific Skills" system has begun to try to solve the labor shortage, and the nursing care field is expected to accept up to 60,000 people in five years.
According to the Immigration Bureau of Japan, the explanation for introducing the system was that there were about 5,000 people in the first year, but as of the end of May, the number of foreigners with a status of residence of long-term care among "specific skills" was two years. The number is 2,297, which is significantly lower.
In addition, most of them are thought to have changed their status of residence to those who were already in Japan due to "technical intern training" or "study abroad", and were able to enter the country newly due to immigration restrictions due to infection control measures for the new coronavirus. It seems that there are few people.
Furthermore, the three countries of ▽ Indonesia ▽ Vietnam ▽ Philippines are accepting human resources who aim to become long-term care welfare workers based on the EPA = Economic Partnership Agreement, but last year they entered the country six months to a year later than planned, and now. It is that the prospect is not set for the year.
According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the effective ratio of job offers to applicants, which indicates how many jobs are available for each person seeking a job, was 1.01 times on average for all occupations in the second year of Reiwa, while long-term care workers. Has significantly exceeded 3.88 times, and the labor shortage continues.
Those who are planning to enter the country under the "specific skill" system have a fixed acceptance facility, but it is expected that there will be cases where they decline the offer if the waiting period becomes long, and the labor shortage at the nursing care site may become serious. there is.
Increasing the burden on facility staff who expected foreign human resources
At a special nursing home for the elderly in Fukaya City, Saitama Prefecture, we hired three men and women from Indonesia under the "Specific Skills" system.
I was planning to start working around April this year, but I am still unable to come to Japan due to immigration restrictions.
There are few chronically aspiring long-term care workers, and this facility has been accepting foreign human resources from China and Sri Lanka.
It is said that the burden is increasing, such as the increase in overtime work of the current staff members, because it is difficult to predict when the three people will enter the country and it is difficult to hire personnel from other departments as an infection control measure.
In addition, there is concern that hiring may be declined if the waiting period is prolonged, so the person in charge of the facility regularly meets online with a prospective candidate in Indonesia.
In the interview on that day, a man who was an informal candidate said, "I didn't expect to wait so long. It was difficult to find another job in Indonesia, and I was financially marginal." rice field.
Shigeki Ito, Managing Director of the social welfare corporation Katsumikai, said, "I'm worried about what I should do if I can't enter Japan as it is. I have high expectations for foreign human resources, so I would like them to come and work with me as soon as possible. I strongly hope. "
Introducing companies to take on foreign human resources in Japan
As immigration restrictions continue, there is a movement to have foreign human resources already in Japan acquire the qualification of "specific skills" and become the caregivers.
Companies in Tokyo that introduce human resources for foreigners and provide training programs are making efforts to introduce nursing care jobs to international students from China.
At the Japanese language school in Minato-ku, Tokyo, which I visited on the 20th, most of the students wanted to go on to a vocational school or university. It means that some students are aiming to get a job.
However, it is said that there are not many people who want to become a “specific skill” long-term care worker.
This means that issues at the nursing care site, such as low salaries for the heavy work burden, are having an impact.
For this reason, even if you get a long-term care job, if the infection with the new corona subsides, there is a concern that you will return to the job you originally wanted.
Therefore, this company is also focusing on developing future long-term care personnel, looking after the new Corona.
Since October, when the system for specific skills was introduced, teaching materials have been distributed overseas online so that students can learn the Japanese language and long-term care knowledge necessary to acquire qualifications for specific skills.
By July, a total of about 2,000 people had taken the course in four countries: Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
Yuta Konishi, who is in charge of this business, said, "Because of the shortage of human resources in various countries, Japan's superiority is gradually declining, and I feel that the number of people who want to work in Japan is decreasing. , I think it is necessary to convey the merits and attractiveness of care workers because we are competing with foreign human resources in other industries. "
Expert "Full support not only for work but also for life"
According to the latest estimate released by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in July, an additional 690,000 long-term care workers will be needed by 2040 due to rising demand for long-term care due to aging.
Professor Yasuhiro Yuki of Shukutoku University, who is familiar with the current situation and problems related to long-term care, said, "It has become clear that it is difficult to secure the necessary personnel without the cooperation of foreigners in a declining population. Then, it is expected that there will be a number of long-term care refugees who cannot use long-term care services even if they want to use them due to lack of human resources. "
On top of that, "I think that even if it becomes possible to enter Japan in the future, the number of foreigners who will take care jobs using the specific skill system will not increase so much. Jobs that are not popular with Japanese people will be selected by foreigners as well. It is necessary to recognize that it is not possible. In order to get a job, it is necessary to fully back up not only work but also life in Japan, and the acceptance system of Japanese society with an eye on even after Corona is being questioned. " I was talking.
What is the specific skill "nursing care"?
"Specific intern training" is different from the "technical intern training system" whose main purpose is to contribute internationally by transferring technology overseas, and it is a system that started from an attempt to solve the labor shortage.
In addition to "nursing care", there are 14 industries such as "construction", "accommodation" and "agriculture".
Other systems for foreigners to work in the nursing care field include entry under the EPA = Economic Partnership Agreement, and entry by EPA requires graduation from a local university or specialized school, but in the case of "specific skills" ▼ Daily conversation You can obtain a status of residence if you pass the Japanese-Language Examination, the Japanese-Language Examination for Nursing Care, and the Skills Examination to check whether you can provide a certain degree of long-term care.
Also, unlike entry by EPA, ▼ family members are not allowed to accompany you, and ▼ it is assumed that you will return to Japan after working for 5 years in principle.
However, if you obtain the national qualification of "long-term care welfare worker", you can continue to work with another status of residence.