EXCLUSIVE: Japan Eyes Holding Tests in 7 Countries for Farm Jobs under New Visas

November 16, 2018

Tokyo--The Japanese government is considering conducting tests in seven foreign countries on applicants for farm jobs in Japan under one of its two planned visa categories, informed sources told Jiji Press on Thursday.

There were some 270,000 foreign trainees in Japan as of the end of 2017, and 99 pct of them were from the seven countries--Vietnam, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar.

The government therefore expects many people in the countries to apply for new work visas, according to the sources.

The government may narrow down the list of countries where the tests will be held, after consultations with governments in related countries.

The tests are planned to be held in each country's common language and cover the two areas of farming plants and animals, respectively.

The government estimates that up to 7,300 foreign nationals will work in the Japanese agricultural sector in the first year of the new visa system, and that up to 36,500 foreigners will do so in the first five years.

The government and ruling parties aim to introduce the new system in April 2019 by getting a related bill through the Diet during the ongoing extraordinary session set to end Dec. 10.

The bill calls for establishing the new visa category for foreign workers with "type one" designated skills, including blue-collar workers, and the other category for those with higher "type two" skills.

The government plans to limit the eligibility for type-one visas to workers in 14 industries including the farm sector.

The government is also considering holding tests overseas for type-one visas for construction, fishery and other workers. Jiji Press