Manila: The Japanese government has begun accepting applications from certified care workers and nurses from the Philippines who are interested in working in Japan under a program created through the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).

According to Philippines News Agency, the 2026 Japan-Philippine initiative will allocate 50 nurse (Kangoshi) and 300 care worker (Kaigofukushishi) positions for Filipino nationals. Accepted candidates will undergo free Japanese language training for six months in the Philippines and six months in Japan, prior to their three to four-year work duration at Japanese hospitals and caregiving facilities.

Applicants for the nurse position must be graduates of Bachelor of Science in Nursing with an active Philippine Regulatory Commission (PRC) license and have a minimum of three years of work experience in a hospital, clinic, or health center. Care worker applicants, meanwhile, may be graduates of Bachelor of Science in Nursing (with or without PRC license) or a four-year course (with TESDA National Certificate II in Caregiving (NC II)).

A daily living allowance will be provided for the entire duration of the language training. Candidates are encouraged to eventually obtain the Japanese license for Kangoshi and Kaigofukushishi to provide them with the opportunity for a longer employment term in Japan.

The deadline for submission of online applications is April 5, 2026. Interested applicants may visit the DMW announcement webpage for more information. The initiative is implemented by the Department of Migrant Workers in cooperation with the Japan International Corporation of Welfare Services.