Japan govt enacts new law to accept foreign workers

Japanese government enacted a new law to bring more blue-collar foreign workers into the country to address chronic labour shortages. Under the new law, Japan plans to bring in 3 lakh 45 thousand foreign workers in construction, food services, nursing and other sectors for five years. 

The law allows foreign nationals with skills in sectors facing severe shortages to obtain five-year visas, which will not allow them to bring their families. 

Foreign workers in those fields who hold stronger



qualifications and pass a more difficult Japanese language test will be able to obtain a visa that can be extended indefinitely, eventually leading to residency, and will be able to bring over family. 

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told Parliament that the government plans to start the new scheme from April next year. 

Opposition parties however, claimed that the law failed to address its potential impact on Japanese society and does not protect foreign workers' rights.