ISLAMABAD - Japan on Wednesday expressed keenness to fast-track the recruitment of Pakistani health and information technology professionals to meet its market demand for highly skilled workforce.
Japanese Ambassador to Pakistan, Kuninori Matsuda expressed his government’s desire during a meeting with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari, said a news release issued here.
Japan has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Pakistan for import of skilled Pakistani manpower pertaining to 14 different sectors including construction, Information Technology (IT), nursing, manufacturing, engineering and others.
The envoy informed Zulfikar Bukhari that Japan had introduced a category of ‘Highly skilled Visa’ to expedite the recruitment process for skilled manpower.
“Japan is in dire need of trained manpower in information technology and nursing care,” Kuninori Matsuda said, while pointing out the keenness of Japanese companies that were eager to work with Pakistani-trained youth.
Kuninori Matsuda said the IT expert in Pakistan could apply under this category for obtaining the visa for Japan in a hassle-free manner.
The ambassador congratulated Pakistan on successfully curbing the novel coronavirus spread in the country.
He said: “Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan was the first [leader of the world] to express his best wishes for health of the President of Japan.”
The message of the Prime Minister Imran Khan was welcomed in Japan and tweet of the Japanese President in that regard was its manifestation, the envoy added.
Zulfikar Bukhari said around 65 per cent of Pakistan’s population was under-35. “Providing employment to our labor in Japan will lead to new avenues of co-operation between the two countries and further strengthen the bilateral ties,” he remarked.
The SAPM assured the envoy of his full co-operation in sending manpower to Japan. He said the pandemic was a main impediment in sending workforce to Japan during past. However, the overseas ministry attached great importance to the export of Pakistani manpower to Japan in post-coronavirus scenario, he added.
He informed the ambassador that the country had already been sending healthcare staff to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. “4000 Nursing staff can be sent to Japan on immediate basis,” he maintained.
The SAPM also expressed his desire to hold a three-day government-sponsored job fair in Pakistan.
“Japanese IT Companies can participate in the job fair for fast and efficient recruitment” he said.
The idea was welcomed by the delegation. The ambassador assured to finalise the proposal in the next meeting.