Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2019 August 14 - 20 [LABOR]

Nearly 70% of nursing-care providers face labor shortage

More than 67% of nursing care service providers experienced a labor shortage in 2018, a survey by Care Work Foundation has found. The percentage increased for five years in a row.

Of them, 90% cited “difficulties in recruiting workers” as a reason for their labor shortage.

According to the same survey, the average monthly salary for nursing care workers was 217,465 yen, up 2,614 yen from the previous year. This is 90,000 yen lower than the average for all industries.

The survey included questions concerning a system which the Abe government often points to in order to claim that the government is working hard to create better working conditions in the nursing-care industry. The system allows nursing care providers to earn an additional income on condition that they will make some kind of improvements regarding wages. The survey asked what kind of a measure was put in place, and 60% of business operators said that they provide “an annual bonus” or “allowances or higher allowances” and 40% cited “an increase in the basic pay”. In contrast, 60% of care workers wanted “an increase in the basic pay”, according to the same survey which asked employees what kind of improvements they expect regarding salaries.

The survey also found that 56% of business operators complained that it is hard to find skilled workers and 48% pointed out that under the current public nursing-care insurance system, it is difficult to earn enough to pay decent wages. This suggests that a change in the insurance system or other drastic measures is necessary to address the issue.