Japan's EPA Program: How Filipino Nurses and Caregivers Train and Work in Japan
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 07, 2026 • Study in Southeast Asia
Japan's Economic Partnership Agreement with the Philippines sends Filipino nurses and caregivers to Japan for paid training toward full local licensure. The Department of Migrant Workers and JICWELS run the process, with six months of language training in the Philippines followed by six more months in Japan before supervised work begins.
🎓 Two tracks: Nurse (kangoshi) candidates and Certified Careworker (kaigofukushishi) candidates.
📩 The Philippine side runs through DMW, the Japan side through JICWELS, under a government-to-government arrangement.
⏱️ Training runs six months in the Philippines, then six months in Japan, before three to four years of supervised work.
💵 A daily living allowance covers candidates for the full training period.
What JPEPA is
The Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) includes a labor mobility track that lets Filipino nurses and caregivers train and work in Japan under government supervision. On the Philippine side, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) runs recruitment and screening. On the Japan side, the Japan International Corporation of Welfare Services (JICWELS) matches candidates with hospitals and caregiving facilities.
Background on the program
Japan signed separate EPA labor mobility tracks with the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam to bring nurses and caregivers into its aging care and hospital sectors under bilateral government control rather than private recruitment. The Philippine track started accepting candidates after JPEPA entered into force in 2008, and DMW and JICWELS have run selection rounds on a rolling basis since.
Two candidate tracks
JPEPA accepts two categories of candidates. Nurse candidates (kangoshi) need a Philippine nursing license and relevant clinical experience, and they train toward Japan's national nursing exam. Certified Careworker candidates (kaigofukushishi) train toward Japan's national care worker exam and do not need a prior nursing license, though many hold a caregiving-related course or experience. A recent batch under this arrangement opened 50 Nurse and 300 Careworker slots, with the application window extended to April 24, 2026.
Eligibility basics
Nurse candidates generally need a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, an active Philippine Registered Nurse license, and prior clinical experience, since Japan expects candidates to function on the ward with support rather than train from zero. Careworker candidates need a relevant caregiving course, health sciences background, or direct caregiving experience, plus the general DMW requirements for overseas deployment such as a valid passport and medical clearance. Exact eligibility details change per batch, so confirm current requirements on the DMW or Japanese Embassy announcement for the open application round before you prepare documents.
The training timeline
Accepted candidates start with six months of Japanese language training in the Philippines, followed by six more months of language and orientation training after arrival in Japan. A daily living allowance covers candidates through the full year of training, so you do not pay out of pocket for this stage. After training, candidates move into three to four years of supervised paid work at a Japanese hospital or caregiving facility while studying for the national licensing exam.
In 2025, 218 Filipino nurse and careworker candidates completed the six-month preparatory language training in the Philippines and were hired through the government-to-government arrangement facilitated by DMW and JICWELS, based on Manila Bulletin reporting from June 2025.
Working toward Japanese licensure
Candidates work under supervision at their host facility while they study Japanese and prepare for the national exam in their field. Passing the exam qualifies you to continue working in Japan under regular local licensure terms instead of the EPA candidate framework. Facilities that host EPA candidates provide structured study time and Japanese language support alongside the paid work, since passing the exam within the program window determines whether you stay on.
How to apply
Watch DMW and the Japanese Embassy in Manila for open application windows, since batches run on a set schedule rather than year-round.
Meet the base eligibility: a Philippine nursing license for the nurse track, or the caregiving background required for the careworker track.
Pass DMW's screening and selection process.
Complete the six-month Philippines-based language training.
Travel to Japan for the second six months of training, then start supervised work.
Why families choose this route
JPEPA gives nurses and caregivers a paid path into the Japanese labor market without the upfront cost of private language schools or agency placement fees charged by some other overseas routes. The government-to-government structure also means DMW screens the host facilities, which cuts the risk of the contract problems that show up in some privately arranged caregiving placements abroad.