TOKYO (JAPAN) - Japan is to accept 1,000 nurses and health care workers from Indonesia starting early next year under the free trade pact. They need these workers to ease the shortage of such staff. This will be the first time that Japan is bringing foreign nurses and care workers on a full-time basis. Starting in April, Japan will accept 200 licensed nurses and 300 certified health care workers per year.

If the programme is working well, these number may be increased after the second year. The nurses will be able to stay in the country for three years and the health care workers for four years with their Indonesian certificates and licenses. They can eventually extend their stay if they pass Japanese nursing exams. The workers will be working as assistants at hospitals and nursing care facilities after they have received language training.

The Japanese Ministry of Health as said that the country is in need of some 40,000 more nurses, while the shortage is expected to be around 500,000 persons in 2014.

Source : http://news.indahnesia.com