New residence requirement was established to expand the acceptance of foreign human resources

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

外国人の人材受け入れ拡大へ 新たな在留資格創設へ

5月30日 5時09分

外国人の人材受け入れ拡大に向けて、政府はことしの「骨太の方針」に日本で働きながら学ぶ今の「技能実習制度」を修了した人が事実上、在留期間を最長で５年延長できる新たな在留資格の創設を盛り込む方針を固めました。

経済財政運営と改革の基本方針、いわゆる「骨太の方針」を来月、閣議決定するため、政府・与党内では取りまとめの最終調整が進められています。

こうした中、政府は少子高齢化で労働力人口の減少が見込まれることから、外国人の人材受け入れ拡大に向けて介護や農業など業種を限定し、最長で５年の在留を可能とする新たな在留資格の創設を明記する方針を固めました。

資格の付与にあたって政府は、知識や技能、それに日本語の能力を試験で確かめるとする一方、日本で働きながら学ぶ今の「外国人技能実習制度」を修了した人は試験を免除するとしています。

「技能実習制度」では最長で５年の在留が可能なことから、新たな制度が導入された場合、実習制度を修了したあとに１度帰国すれば、通算で１０年在留することも可能になります。

一方で、この制度は「移民政策とは異なる」として、原則、家族の帯同を認めないものの、滞在中に試験などで高い専門性が確認されれば帯同を認めるとしています。

政府は来週の経済財政諮問会議でこうした内容が盛り込まれた「骨太の方針」の素案を示すことにしています。

Translation

In working towards expanding the acceptance of foreign human resources, the government in this year's "policy framework" would made a policy to incorporate the establishment of new residence qualifications in which people who had finished the current "Skill training system", i.e. to learn while working in Japan, could extend their residence period for 5 years as a matter of fact.

The basic policy in financial operation and reform, i.e. the so-called "large-bone policy", would be endorsed by the Cabinet next month; final adjustment in coordination was advanced in the government and the ruling party.

Because a decrease in the workforce population was expected due to declining birthrate and growing elderly people, the government limited the business category to nursing and agriculture for the expansion of human resources in accepting foreigners and made a policy which set the requirement for new residence up to 5 years at the maximum to enable residence.

In case of giving out the requirement the government would through a test ensure the knowledge ability, skills and Japanese language ability, but also it was assumed that the government would exempt a test on people currently who had finished the "Foreigner skill training system" while working in Japan.

Because in the "Skill training system" it was possible to have residence up to a maximum of 5 years, when the new system was introduced, if one had returned home once after having finished a training system, a total sum of up to 10 years in residence would become possible.

On the other hand for this system, "It's different from an immigration policy". As a principle the accompanying of the family was not allowed, but it was assumed that accompanying would be allowed when a highly specialized skill was confirmed by a test during the stay.

The government would use the next week's Council of Economic and Fiscal Policy to show a rough draft on the "large-bone policy" which incorporated such contents.

So, more technical people will be admitted into Japan in the near future.