Press Releases
Extension of Period of Stay for Candidates for Nurses and Certified Careworkers from Indonesia,
the Philippines and Viet Nam Based on Economic Partnership Agreements
1. On February 22, the Government of Japan made a cabinet decision on the “Extension of Period of Stay for Candidates for Nurses and Certified Careworkers from Indonesia, the Philippines and Viet Nam Based on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs).”
2. The decision will allow those candidates for nurses and certified care workers from Indonesia, the Philippines and Viet Nam who entered Japan in fiscal 2016 and 2017 based on EPAs but did not pass the final Japanese national examinations during their period of stay to extend their period of stay for an additional period of one year when certain conditions are met.
3. The decision will lead to increase the number of candidates passing the national examinations by providing more opportunities for them to take the exams during their stay.
[Reference]
The Japan-Indonesia EPA, Japan-Philippines EPA and Japan-Viet Nam Exchange of Notes (PDF)
permit candidates for nurses and candidates for certified care workers to enter and stay in Japan for periods of up to three years and four years, respectively, for the purpose of obtaining national qualifications as nurses or certified careworkers. Japan has been accepting candidates from Indonesia since fiscal year 2008, from the Philippines since fiscal year 2009, and from Viet Nam since fiscal year 2014.