Attending the meeting were Leaders from the Department of International Cooperation, the Department of Social Insurance, the Directorate of Vocational Education, the Department of Overseas Labour, the Ministry’s Office, and the Center of Oveaseas Labour.

At the meeting, the two sides discussed on the issues relating to the Program of specific skilled labourers; researching and amending the regulation relating to receiving foreign trainees, labours in Japan; Program of dispatching Vietnamese candidates for nurses and midwives working in Japan…

Minister Dao Ngoc Dung expressed his pleasure when having a chance to meet Mr. Kato Katsunobu at Hanoi on the occasion of the two countries Vietnam and Japan celebrating the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations.

The Minister said that overcoming the affection of the Covid-19 pandemic, the  labour cooperation between Vietnam – Japan has increasingly re-connected and achieved many results in recently.

Relating to researching, and amending the regulation of receiving foreign trainees, labours in Japan, Minister Dao Ngoc Dung believes that with the progressive spirit and clear identification of the trend of global human resource development, Japan will amend the related legal regulation in order to create the increasingly progressive, fair and reasonable working environment for people working in Japan.

Especially, it is necessary to ensure the right of foreign labours on income, insurance, and welfare regimes; ensure the right of changing jobs reasonably; harmonize the benefits of employers and employees. 

Regarding the Program on specific skilled labours, although the affection of Covid-19 pandemic, Vietnam still is one of the countries having the big number of trainees and labours in Japan. The Minister hoped that in the coming time, the two sides will prepare carefully for the skill and language examinations for the trainees and labours participating in this Program.

The program of dispatching Vietnamese nurses and midwives to work in Japan under the Vietnam - Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) has been implemented since 2012. Up to now, the two sides have cooperated to organize 11 courses for candidates in Vietnam, bringing 1,696 Vietnamese nurses and midwives to work in Japan. Vietnamese candidates are highly appreciated by the receiving facilities and nursing homes in Japan for their expertise, foreign language ability, personality, and positive sense at work.

Mr. Kato Katsunobu, Japan's Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare thanked Minister Dao Ngoc Dung for the warm welcome.

According to Mr. Kato Katsunobu, currently, Japan is conducting research on amending current legal regulations related to the Program of receiving foreign trainees and workers to Japan to practice and work (framework program).

In the process of researching and amending this regulation, the Japanese expert council paid special attention to the goal of technology transfer, ensuring quality human resource training, not only contributing human resources to Japan but also to the international.

Regarding the issue of changing the program of technical intern trainees and specific skilled workers, Minister Kato Katsunobu shared, Japan is aiming to build a new system to "protect and develop" human resources.

“This is considered a new turning point for Japan in receiving foreign workers. In the near future, we will complete the final report to submit to the Japanese Government on the changes of this technical internship program”, emphasized Minister Kato Katsunobu.

At the end of the meeting, the two Ministers agreed that the Vietnamese  Ministry of Labour - Invalids and Social Affairs and the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare will regularly exchange and share experiences in the process of cooperation to solve issues relating to human resource development in the coming time./.