More Pinoy nurses pass Japan’s licensure exam

MANILA, Philippines - Employment opportunities seem to be getting brighter for Filipino nurses, particularly in Japan.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said that 10 more Filipino nurses passed Japan’s national licensure examination for nurses held last month.

The 10 successful examinees brought to 25 the total number of Filipino nurses who passed the Japanese nursing licensure examination since the Philippines deployed nurses to Japan under the Philippine-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (PJEPA).

Baldoz said the government is negotiating with Japanese authorities to make it easier for Filipino nurses to pass Japan’s licensure examination and provide more labor opportunities in Japanese hospitals.

“We welcome the improving results of the licensure examination of Filipino nurses in Japan, but we continue to negotiate to make the language test easier so more of our nurses will pass and be able to work there,” Baldoz said.

In 2009, the Philippines and Japan entered into a Memorandum of Understanding for the training and employment of Filipino nurses and caregivers in Japanese health care facilities under the PJEPA.

Under the agreement, qualified nurses and certified caregivers, after passing the Japanese national licensure examination, shall have the option to stay for an unlimited period in Japan to practice their profession based on new and upgraded employment contracts with their employer.

Aside from Japan, there are now more markets opening for Filipino nurses.

She said the Department of Labor and Employment had forged recently an agreement with the German government for the hiring of Filipino nurses.

“Even those nurses who cannot easily find employment in clinic-based facilities could apply now in business processing outsourcing firms or call centers that need health information management officers,” she said.

Meanwhile, recruiters reported that Saudi Arabia is now hiring hundreds of Muslim nurses.

Lito Soriano of LBS Recruitment Solutions Corp. said the Security Forces Hospital in Mecca wants to get Muslim nurses for the various clinical and specialty wards in the hospital.

He said Muslim nurses with two years’ working experience who want to have exposure in a highly modern hospital could apply for the job openings in Saudi Arabia.