Saskatchewan and Japan Compete to Hire Foreign Nurses

The healthcare industry of Saskatchewan, Canada is facing labor shortage and they need to hire more foreign nurses to fill the demand. As Filipino nurses are known for their excellent work ethics and job performance, Saskatchewan seeks to hire the services of RP nurses.

However, aside from Saskatchewan, Filipino nurses are also in demand in other countries as well and one of them is Japan. The need for people to fill up job vacancies in the medical field and the aging population leave Japan no choice but to open its doors for foreign nurses and caregivers.

Japan seeks to hire healthcare professionals from the countries of Indonesia and the Philippines. A Washington, D.C.-based reporter for Japan's NHK, Masaru Takagi, said that a memorandum of agreement between Japan and countries of Philippines and Indonesia has recently been created and Japan would soon hire soon foreign nurses and caregivers.

Takagi said, "The first large group of health care workers from Indonesia is expected to arrive in Japan in early August. Nurses and caregivers are in demand especially in more rural areas, while hospitals are also seeking workers for the less desirable midnight shifts.

The deployment of foreign nurses is big news in Japan which had always been wary of any agreements that would allow the entry of expatriates in their country. Nursing organizations in Japan criticize that hiring of foreigners is not the best solution to address the labor shortage.

Foreign nurses to be deployed in Japan are advised to familiarize themselves with the Japanese language and culture to avoid culture shock and to make communicating with the locals easy. Hired nurses will also undergo six-month training and pass a national nursing exam in Japan within three years. Nurses who will fail the exam will be sent home.

On the other hand, Saskatchewan is active in its efforts to attract the entry of Filipino nurses. Representatives from the government of Canada (Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association and the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses) visited the Philippines last March and May to conduct a nine-day recruitment mission. An estimate of 300 new nurses was hired as a result of that trip.

Saskatchewan prefer Filipino nurses because of the excellent English skills and for being educated using an American nursing curriculum.

Source: Nursing Guide