Kathmandu, December 11

It appears no Nepali job-seeker vying for Japan will be able to go to the land of the rising sun for employment next year, as all the aspirants have failed the language and skill tests.

In the first phase of job opening for nursing caregivers, 497 Nepalis had appeared for the language test.

While only 56 managed to pass the test, all of them flunked the subsequent job-related skill test. The tests had been conducted by Japan Foundation.

Umesh Dhungana, joint secretary at Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS), confirmed that all the candidates who had appeared for the exams had failed.

“We are quite surprised with the results and are analysing why every single candidate failed the exams,” he said, adding that the ministry is planning to hold talks with the Japanese government on the topic.

He further said that the government will request the Japanese government to simplify the skill test for Nepali job aspirants.

“There is no chance of review of the 2019 fall exams,” he said. “But the government will soon hold talks with the Japanese officials for the simplification of exam system targeting the exams for fall of 2020.”

According to him, the government will soon start accepting applications for the job openings for Japan for fall of 2020.

“We hope both the governments will follow the spirit of earlier signed memorandum of cooperation (MoC),” Dhungana said.

However, as per the MoC between Nepal and Japan, only the applicants that pass both the language and skill tests will be eligible to seek employment in Japan.

On March 25, the government had signed a MoC with Japan, paving the way for Nepali workers to travel to the world’s third largest economy for employment in 14 job categories.

As per the ministry, the government of Japan will allow Nepali workers to enter its job market at zero cost.

As per the agreement, the Japanese government will hire Nepali migrant workers in care-giving, building cleaning management, machine parts and tooling, industrial machinery, electronics, information and construction industries.

Other sectors where workers will be hired are shipbuilding and ship machinery, automobile repair and maintenance, aviation, accommodation, agriculture, fishery and aquaculture, manufacture of food and beverages and food service industry.

In December last year, the Japanese government had approved a law whereby Japanese firms will be allowed to employ blue-collar workers from eight countries, including Nepal. Japan plans to employ 345,000 foreign workers in five years.