Chief Secretary Suman Raj Aryal has certified the decision of the Council of Ministers to repeal the 'Directive on Sending Nepali Technical Interns to Japan-2066 (JITCO)', which was implemented to send Nepali workers as technical interns to Japan. Along with this, the provision that allowed the Nepal JICA Alumni Association (JAN) to conduct language tests for trainee workers going to Japan has also been revoked.

The Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security had submitted to the Council of Ministers the JITCO directive, which was made based on the ‘Good Governance, Management and Operation Act, 2064’, stating that it was not necessary. The Council of Ministers meeting on 11 Poush had decided to abolish JITCO. The then Chief Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal had decided to review the directive, procedures and standards made based on the Good Governance, Management and Operation Act, which had caused delays, inconvenience and cost in service delivery.

Japan’s JITCO directive, which was scrapped by the Council of Ministers, has been authenticated: Hemraj Aryal – Spokesperson, Prime Minister’s Office The Chief Secretary has authenticated the scrapping of the JITCO directive, said Hemraj Aryal, Spokesperson of the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. ‘The decision of the Council of Ministers to repeal the JITCO directive has been verified by the Chief Secretary,’ he said, ‘and preparations are underway to send a letter to the Ministry of Labor.’

Ministry of Labor spokesperson Pitambar Ghimire said that no letter has been received from the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers to repeal the JITCO directive as of Wednesday. Jan had increased pressure on the Chief Secretary not to certify the decision after the provision that trainee workers going to Japan could take a language test was also being revoked. Jan also has connections with high-ranking government employees who returned from studying in Japan under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) program. Some high-ranking government officials, including Jan officials, were pressuring the Chief Secretary to reverse the decision of the Council of Ministers.

According to the JITCO directive, there is a provision that the list of workers selected from manpower companies should go to Jan to take a language test on the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Employment. Jan has been charging a fee of three thousand rupees per worker. The fee is determined by the foreigner himself. The Department of Foreign Employment has a system for granting work permits after passing the language test.

The Japanese government does not require the language test certificate taken by the foreigner. Japan is issuing visas for trainee workers after the workers who meet the employer's criteria are selected. However, even after obtaining a Japanese visa, the Department of Foreign Employment does not issue work permits because the language test certificate has not been issued.

An example of this is Ramesh Gurung, 25, from Syangja. He has repeatedly failed the Japanese language and culture test. 'I took the test four times. I took the test on 30th Shrawan. I failed. Then I took another test on 19th Bhadra. I failed again. I failed the test on 5th and 30th Asoj. This is too much. Are we going to study to become experts? I am going to learn a normal job,' he said, 'In the meantime, my visa has expired. I could not fly to Japan even though I had a visa.'

JITCO guidelines are no longer required to send trainee workers to Japan: Pitambar Ghimire - Spokesperson, Ministry of Labor In a statement issued by Ministry of Labor spokesperson Pitambar Ghimire, JITCO, a program run by an understanding between Nepal and Japan, has been converted into the 'Technical Intern Trainee Program' since 2017. 'It is being informed that trainee workers are currently going through the same program and that no obstacles have been made to sending workers because the instructions mentioned in it are not necessary/necessary,' the statement said.

According to the Ministry of Labor, after the repeal of the JITCO guidelines, there will be more facilitation for Nepali workers who want to go to Japan. According to this guideline, trainee workers should be between 18 and 40 years old. They must have experience working in industrial establishments, industrial businesses, factories, agriculture, cooperatives, community organizations, hotels, tourism businesses, service and commodity manufacturing businesses registered with the Ministry of Industry. There was a provision that listed manpower companies that had permission to send trainee workers had to renew their permits with the Department of Foreign Employment by January of each year. All manpower companies that have received permits cannot send trainee workers to Japan until they are registered.