“There is no greater feeling than helping and taking care of people who need assistance,” says Rami from North East India who has been taking care of an 89-year-old retired nurse for almost three years now. “Getting paid for doing what I am most passionate about is an absolute dream come true and a rewarding experience.” Caregivers make a true and meaningful difference in the lives of their patients and their families.
If you have a passion for helping people and have always wanted to work in Japan, this article is for you.
When you find a job that falls in line with your expectations and the work environment welcomes you with open arms then even a foreign country begins to feel like home. The Caregiver Jobs in Japan are especially rewarding and hold immense scope for Indians looking to migrate to Japan and build their careers in the Caregiver Industry.
Japan is an incredibly busy country with a vibrant workforce. It is also home to an aging population. The workforce there is quite skilled and workplaces are always bustling. However, certain aspects like caregiving for the sick and old tend to get left behind in Japan, resulting in demand for caregivers who are reliable and can look after their elderly loved ones.
It is for this reason that the country welcomes immigrant Indian students and professionals to have a career in the caregiving industry. This animated nation is on the lookout for diligent care workers across different profiles and regions.
Most caregiver jobs for foreigners in Japan are made up of a diverse group of nationalities, the majority of them being of South-Asian origin.
Pursuing the occupation of a caregiver in Japan can be a worthwhile experience. There are many options, schemes, and provisions for workers who take up this line of a profession in Japan, making it one in demand as well.
Let’s dive deep into everything you need to know about having a career as a caregiver in Japan.
Who is a caregiver?
Aging. com defines a caregiver as someone who “provides care for a person who needs extra help. This could mean a family caregiver, a respite caregiver, a home caregiver, or a primary caregiver, to name but a few. In the context of elderly care, this job title typically refers to a private duty home caregiver or senior caregiver. As the name suggests, private duty home caregivers perform care-related activities in the home and personal care, typically related to one’s everyday life and relieve the caregiver burden of a family member.”
What are the Roles and Responsibilities of a Caregiver?
As a caregiver, your priority is to put your client and his/her health and well-being first. To do that, you will be basically keeping an eye on them and taking care of them and their primary and secondary needs.
Here are the roles and responsibilities you would have to take on as a caregiver:
- Taking care of the patient (bathing, feeding, etc.)
- Maintaining medical charts and monitoring medication.
- Scheduling necessary appointments such as visits to the patient’s doctor or family.
- Monitoring patient’s health conditions.
- Help clients take prescribed medication.
- Assist clients with ambulation and mobility around the house or outside.
- Assist clients with personal care and hygiene.
- Help clients with physical therapy exercises.
- Plan and prepare meals with assistance from the clients (when they are able).
- Do the client’s shopping or accompany them when they shop.
- Perform light housekeeping duties that clients can’t complete on their own.
- Be a pleasant and supportive companion.
- Report any unusual incidents.
- Act quickly and responsibly in cases of emergency.
What are the Skills Required to be a Caregiver?
Bear in mind that to be a caregiver, there will be days when your clients will not be easy to deal with. Some clients may have neurocognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s, who often have symptoms such as increased memory loss, confusion, and problems coping with new situations, among others, which further contribute to mood swings, wandering, aggression, delusions, etc. So, even when you are presented with the toughest situation, you need to be able to be calm, face it with positivity and put your patient first.
Here are some of the skills a caregiver must possess:
- Communication Skills (both written and verbal)
- Patience
- Compassion and Empathy
- Ability to monitor and observe
- Interpersonal skills
- Time management
- Flexibility
- Organizational skills
- Problem-solving skills
- Positive personality traits
- Reliability
- Knowledge of emergency response and first aid (CPR, etc.)
- Strong ethics
- Physical endurance.
What are the Requirements for Becoming a Caregiver in Japan?
Caregivers can opt for a profession in Medical Assistance, Paramedics and/ or Nursing. Taking up the profession of a care worker in Japan comes in line with the Technical Intern Training Program (TITP) and follows up with the “Caregiving standards” laid down by the program. These standards mandate certain requirements to be fulfilled by trainees to secure a degree in the stream and pursue the occupation.
1. Proficiency in the Japanese language
Care workers are mandated to have attempted the N4 level of the JLPT in India examination and an N3 of the JLPT in Japan to qualify. An original transcript (certificate) of the JLPT and/or NAT scores needs to be submitted at the time of admission to the TITP for verification.
- N5 – Basic Level: The holders of an N5 certificate can read some simple phrases written in hiragana, katakana, and basic kanji. They can listen to and understand everyday conversations. They are also able to comprehend the meaning of other conversations when spoken slowly.
- N4 – Elementary Level: People with N4 certificates can read simple sentences written in basic vocabulary and kanji. They can also listen to and understand everyday conversations and generally grasp their contents as long as the speaker is speaking slowly to them.
- N3 – Intermediate Level: The reading level of an N3 certificate holder is higher than N4 and N5 certificate holders, as N3 certified people can read moderately difficult writings, specific contents about everyday topics as well as newspaper headlines. They can speak at a mediocre speed, can usually follow the content topics, and understand the relationships among the people involved.
- N2 – Pre-Advanced Level: N2 certificate holders can read and understand materials such as newspapers and magazines’ articles, commentaries as well as critiques. They are also able to grasp conversations and news reports spoken at a natural speed.
- N1 – Advanced Level: An N1 certificate holder can read and understand complex writings on different topics such as a newspaper’s critique and editorial columns. He/She is also able to understand conversations, news reports as well as lectures.
2. Degree of an ANM or GNM
Having a degree certification in ANM (Auxiliary Nursing Midwifery) or GNM (General Nursing and Midwifery) is a must to declare medical proficiency in the field. ANM is a diploma course focussing on the healthcare aspect of medicine. The course covers equipment handling, maintenance of records, and setting up the Operation theatre in a nutshell to maintain records. GNM, on the other hand, deals with general health care, nursing, and midwifery.
3. Sending Organization
To get a valid work visa for Japan, you need to find a sending organization. Companies such as Akal Japanese Academy can and will assist you in your visa application when you enroll for their online course where they’ll not only teach you the Japanese language but also educate you about Japan and its rich cultural heritage along with the fascinating traditions and customs.
What is the Salary Offered to Caregivers in Japan?
Being a care worker in Japan comes with benefits like residence visa permits with the ‘nursing status’, immigration benefits, and many more. A key aspect of this is the remuneration offered to care workers. The monthly caregiver salary in Japan ranges anywhere between 1,25,000 -1,85,000 JPY per month. The minimum wage for nurses in Japan is 1,20,000 JPY per month. Being much in demand, care-workers are paid quite well for their services in Japan.
Salary and Remuneration
Indian caregivers are much in demand and are paid quite well for their services. The monthly salary for such profiles ranges anywhere between 1,25,000-1,85,00 JPY per month. The minimum wage for nurses is 1,20,000 JPY per month.
Demand of Caregivers in Japan
Due to its aging population, the Land of the Rising Sun has been facing a chronic labor shortage for a while now. As a result, the demand for foreign workers has been on the rise across all industries, including the caregiving industry.
Indians are highly recognized for being geniuses all over the world and it is no different in Japan. The demand for Indian workers in Japan is increasing.
Japan generally hires nurses, midwives, and other general health care providers from countries like the Philippines, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Taiwan, and India. Indians are quite sought after because of their work ethic and approach towards caregiving. Exhibiting traits like patience and compassion, Japan is more than happy to hire from the subcontinent. Indians are also most often well-qualified for the profession, making them an obvious choice for this career. The demand for caregivers in Japan does not look diminishing and is, therefore, a great career choice for Indians who want to settle down in Japan.
Prospects of caregivers in Japan
According to an estimate by the Japanese healthcare ministry, the country will need 2.53 million care workers by 2025. With the recent outbreak of the Covid 19 virus around the world, the need for caregivers is going to increase further. This means that there is and will continue to be a demand for caregivers in Japan.
Japan is also looking at improving technology and digitizing the caregiving process. This translates into having better resources and equipment that aid in recovery and medication. Revolutionizing technology can also mean patients can receive medical care and attention within the comfort of their homes. As per reports, looking at aging from a healthspan, rather than lifespan perspective will also be adopted.
The future of nursing in Japan looks promising. While the demand for the profession is booming, the dynamics and environment make it an encouraging career move to make. Immigrants can now get the opportunity to not just live and feel Japan but also therapeutically serve the country using their skills and expertise.
We hope the above information helps you in your career decision-making process.
We wish you all the very best of luck and hope you have the most wonderful time in Japan.
Until next time, Sayonara for now!
“Caring for our seniors is perhaps the greatest responsibility we have. Those who walked before us have given so much and made possible the life we all enjoy.” – John Hoeven
