The 20th APFS Migrant Workers Gathering was held

The 20th APFS Migrant Workers Gathering was held on Sunday, April 28, 2019, at the Itabashi Ward Green Hall. First, as the organizer's greeting, Advisor Yoshinari spoke about the revision of the Immigration Control Act. In April, the Immigration Control Act was revised to allow Japan to accept up to 350,000 foreign workers in 14 industries over a five-year period. However, he pointed out that there are still problems with unpaid wages and sudden dismissals, and that the environment in which foreign workers can work is not one in which they can feel safe. He stated that there are various worker rights, such as minimum wage and paid holidays, and that it is important for the parties involved to learn about and use these systems in order to improve the working environment.
Then, Director Yoshida gave a detailed explanation of the "Specified Skills" residence status, which was created by the revision of the Immigration Control Act. Until now, residence status was given to university graduates and people with long professional work experience in their home country. However, with this "Specified Skills" status, even people who are not such people can obtain residence status, which is a major change in Japan's immigration policy, but there are some points to note. Until now, only nine countries have been accepting applicants, the test venues are limited, family members cannot accompany them, and the maximum stay of five years does not count towards the stay period for obtaining permanent resident status. If you, your relatives, or friends want to apply for "Specified Skills," he said, please consult APFS. In addition, he pointed out that there are rumors that the creation of "Specified Skills" will make it easier for irregular residents to obtain permanent resident status or special permission to stay, but on the contrary, it is becoming more difficult.
Next, some of the participants talked about their activities at APFS so far and the current situation. The participants were from countries such as Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Myanmar, but they were seen encouraging each other about issues such as visa status, based on each other's experiences. In particular, those who have been living in Japan for a long time said that they are often receiving advice from people in their home countries.
To conclude the event, the audience was treated to Bangladeshi curry, Myanmar Arakanese song and dance, and a performance by Bangladeshi music groups Uttrong and Shorlipi, which livened up the venue.
As foreign residents have been living in Japan for a long time and their children are growing up in Japan, some people attended the gathering with their families, including their children, making it a lively event with people of all ages. APFS will continue to work with them to help each other solve problems and become independent.