A meeting of the Nepali and Japanese delegation on Thursday decided to expedite the process of sending more than 5,300 Nepali individuals to Japan under the Specified Skilled Workers programme.

They have passed the Japanese language and skill test but have not been able to go to Japan.

Japan opened up its labour market to Nepalis as specified skilled workers in March 2019 after the two countries signed a memorandum of cooperation to send Nepali workers in 14 sectors with the status of residence.

“The progress made in the implementation of the agreement signed by the two countries in 2019 was reviewed in the Nepal-Japan Second Joint Committee Meeting on Specified Skilled Workers on Thursday,” said Thaneshwar Bhusal, undersecretary at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social security.

The meeting also discussed ways to simplify the process involved in sending Nepali workers, Bhusal added.

Meanwhile, out of the 14 sectors, only four–nursing care, agriculture, construction sector and food and service industry–are currently open for Nepali workers in Japan.

However, the accommodation sector will also be opened from October, according to Bhusal.

“We had requested the Japanese side to open other areas as well,” Bhusal said. “Jobs in the accommodation industry will also open for Nepalis from October.”

Specified skilled workers can work in Japan for as long as five years.