Vietnamese trainee nurses can now stay in Japan for one more year, after their official training period.

Since 2014, Vietnam has sent trainee nurses and caregivers to Japan, a rapidly aging country with severe labour shortages.

Trainee nurses have an official three or four-year training period, after which, they can sit a national exam in order to keep working in Japan.

The Japanese government’s new decision gives trainee nurses an extra year to take the exam which qualifies them for work.

It’s estimated that about 470 Vietnamese medial staff members are currently working in Japan.

– TiVi Tuan-san