A number of Vietnamese interns have yet to fly to Japan despite the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam beginning to receive applications for new visas.

Vietnamese interns line up for finalizing check-in procedures at an airport

Nguyen Van Toan of Nam Dan district of Nghe An province, a worker at a Japanese food factory in Chiba Prefecture, was forced to return home to work as a carpenter as a result the the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

He explained that upon hearing news about the Japanese side starting to issue new visas, he immediately contacted his company, upon which a representative from the firm explained that he would have to wait.

Although the policy is largely affecting Vietnamese trainees at present, enterprises involved in the export of labour are also concerned about the delay.

Vu Cong Binh, chairman of LOD Human Resource Development Corporation, said that despite 700 local workers in the field of construction, services, and medical services being granted Japanese visas and having flights scheduled, they have yet to arrive in the East Asian nation.

Binh went on the describe how the number of visas currently being issued for Vietnamese citizens is limited. Indeed, due to the COVID-19 situation domestically, it is unknown when Vietnamese interns will be able to leave for Japan.

Furthermore, an additional factor in the delayed arrival of Vietnamese workers is that there are no commercial flights running from Vietnam to Japan at this time.

In an effort to boost the flow of labourers to the Far East nation, the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam announced plans to begin receiving applications for new visas from Vietnamese citizens as of July 29.

This comes as part of moves by the Japanese Government to implement considered measures aimed at stimulating their economy and reopening international travel.

Most notably, Vietnamese citizens based locally that take a direct flight to Japan will be granted a Japanese visa. This can be for a range of purposes, including labour, long-term stay for business, management, the internal transfer of engineers, nursing, highly-qualified forms of labour, and other relevant activities.

Upon entering Japan, workers will need to isolate themselves for a period of 14 days in accordance to relevant regulations aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.