The Japanese government has disclosed plans to welcome about 820,000 foreign workers in the transportation and logistics sectors over the next five years.
Jerrymusa.com reports that the goal is to address a severe workforce shortage in the nation’s essential industries, and it represents a more than two-fold increase over the previous level.
It is said that a new rule limiting the number of overtime hours that drivers can work motivates the government. It is anticipated that the measure will make the current driver shortages worse.
Japan Seeks to Increase Productivity
In order to fill openings for qualified foreign workers to drive trucks, buses, and taxis, the government launched an extended scheme.
Additionally, jobs requiring a greater level of fluency in Japanese will be available to bus and taxi drivers. Reportedly, this is the first expansion since the programme’s launch in 2019.
There are now 16 industries covered by the Specified Skilled Worker No. 1 visa category, including the recently added transportation and logistics and operations-related sectors to textile, iron, and steel, and printing in manufacturing.
Yoshimasa Hayashi, the nation’s chief cabinet secretary, emphasised the value of integrating foreign workers into society and asked the relevant ministries to get ready to welcome and integrate them right away.
With the possibility of permanent residency and limitless visa renewals, the new plan provides foreign workers entering the nation with a clear path to employment. It permits labourers to bring their families to Japan as well.
According to the sources, the action is a result of reforms being made to the foreign trainee programme with the goal of facilitating trainees’ transfer to the skilled worker ram. This programme permits trainees to change jobs within the same industry under certain conditions as they gain the requisite skills.