The appeal of the Japanese labor market

The Japanese labor market is highly attractive to Vietnamese workers in general and those from Quang Tri province in particular. Besides stable income, a wide range of job options, and a good working environment, Vietnamese workers who go to Japan to work have opportunities for career development upon returning home after their contracts expire, thanks to their solid skills and good work ethic.

Taking advantage of their free time, Quang Tri workers in Japan experience local tourist attractions - Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Of the 89,874 Vietnamese workers who went abroad for work in the first seven months of 2024, 45,425 chose to go to Japan. This shows that the Japanese market is attractive to Vietnamese workers.

According to data from the Provincial Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, in 2023, out of more than 2,823 workers who went to work abroad under contract, 1,500 went to Japan. In the first six months of 2024, the entire province had 580 workers going to work in Japan.

Despite having a job locally, PCQ (born in 1999), residing in Ba Long commune, Dakrong district, decided to work abroad under contract. Contacting us via Facebook, Q. said he went to Japan as an intern to study and gain work experience in the food industry, which he loves.

When he first went abroad, Mr. Q. was quite bewildered and faced some difficulties in adapting. Thanks to the company's care and provision of comfortable and private accommodation, he felt secure and was able to get into the swing of things. After more than two years of working, Mr. Q. affirms that his choice to go to Japan was the right one, and he has accumulated much valuable experience for his career.

Every day, in addition to his official working hours, Mr. Q. takes advantage of overtime to earn extra income. He plans to extend his 3-year contract for another 2 years after it expires. With the capital he saves after returning home, he will open a food business. Mr. Q. said that eight other people from Quang Tri province went to Japan to work at the same time as him. They all work for the same company, so they always feel happy and warm, just like being back home.

The Japanese labor market has always been a top priority for people from Quang Tri province when choosing to work abroad. In the family of Mr. L.D.D. (born in 1986) in Hai Ba commune, Hai Lang district, two out of four siblings work abroad under contract in Japan and South Korea.

Mr. D. stated that Japan currently has a huge demand for manpower in many industries such as: food and beverage production, construction, machinery manufacturing, electronics, automotive maintenance, shipbuilding, marine equipment, agriculture , fisheries, and nursing...

He himself has been working in agriculture for almost 3 years, earning a fairly good income, and regularly sending money home to his wife and children every month. To provide for their children's future, his wife, D., stays at home to take care of the family while he works abroad.

"We each have to work hard so that later we'll have better opportunities to do business and provide our children with a proper education. That's the biggest goal for my wife and me," Mr. D shared.

According to information from the Department of Overseas Labor Management (Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs), the number of Vietnamese workers going to work in Japan has increased rapidly year by year over the past five years, accounting for 50% of the total number of workers going abroad annually. In 2023, Vietnam surpassed China to become the largest group of foreign workers in Japan with over 518,000 people.

Factors contributing to the increasing number of Vietnamese workers going to Japan include labor cooperation policies between the two countries; a safe working environment; stable income; and opportunities for workers to access modern techniques and technologies.

In particular, Japan is facing a domestic labor shortage and therefore needs to recruit more foreign workers to compensate. The latest research by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) indicates that the country is estimated to face a shortage of 970,000 foreign workers by 2040.

Japan is currently facing increasingly fierce competition to attract international talent, as South Korea and Taiwan (China) are also recruiting workers to bolster their dwindling workforces. Therefore, Japan continues its open-door policy, facilitating the recruitment of foreign workers with the passage of new legislation on foreign labor recruitment in June.

According to the Department of Overseas Labor Management, Vietnamese workers have a high sense of discipline in their work, making them highly sought after by many businesses in Japan. Currently, Vietnam and Japan are cooperating on the project "Supporting job information connection for Vietnamese workers going to work abroad under contract".

This project aims to support Vietnamese workers in finding suitable jobs abroad according to their needs; to assist workers returning home in accessing comprehensive job information domestically through recruitment by businesses; and to help service businesses better access workers seeking employment.

Hong Phuc

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/suc-hut-tu-thi-truong-lao-dong-nhat-ban-189093.htm