In Japan, the number of foreign trainees who quit their jobs without notice due to poor working conditions and other reasons hit a record high in 2023. On this backdrop, Tokyo is seeking to introduce measures to make it easier for foreign workers to transfer jobs.
The number of people quitting trainee jobs without warning is on the rise, up from 5,885 in 2020 to 9,006 in 2022, and reaching an all-time high of 9,753 in 2023. Vietnamese workers are the largest group at 5,481, followed by Myanmar nationals at 1,765 and Chinese at 816.
Employees within the technical intern program are forbidden to change jobs for the first three years as they are encouraged to develop their skills in one area. Job transfers allowed in the event of “unavoidable circumstances.”
The Immigration Services Agency will revise its guidelines in October, criticised for being vague. They should make clear that transfers are allowed if interns face violence or sexual harassment, as well as malicious violations of laws and regulations, including breach of contract.
The updated guidelines will allow victims of harassment and their co-workers to request a transfer, while interns will be allowed to take part-time jobs up to 28 hours per week during the transfer period to defray living expenses.
Apart from, the revised guidelines will contain a special clause for those who cannot find a new employer as a trainee but wish to switch to a certain scheme for skilled workers, allowing them to work temporarily on a certain activity visa until they pass the exam required for status.
Japan has operated an internship programme for foreign workers since 1993, which has come under criticism as simply a way for Japan to import cheap labour. However, the government will replace the programme with a new system as early as 2027. The system will enable employees to transfer to another job after one or two years in the same job.
