From April 19 to 21, 2010, JITCO officials visited the Peruvian Ministry of Labor and Employment Promotion (MTPE), the governmental contact in Peru. The officials made a courtesy call on the newly appointed Minster of Labor and Employment Promotion, Dr. Manuela García Cochagne, and held an annual meeting with Dr. Tomas A. Flores Noriega, Director of National Employment Promotion and Professional Training. Mr. José Mariano de Cassio Rivas, Minister Counselor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also attended the meeting on the 19th.

JITCO explained that the trainees’ treatment would improve upon implementation of the revised immigration laws in July 2010 which would qualify first-year technical intern trainees to be protected under Japanese labor regulations. JITCO requested that both JITCO and MTPE sign a new Record of Discussions (R/D) with the revision to the technical intern training program as confirmation of a continuing cooperative relationship. JITCO also asked MTPE to provide Peruvian laws and regulations regarding dispatch of technical intern trainees, which would be necessary when Japanese administrative organizations apply for the labor department for employment placement permission or notification. JITCO then reported on the current situation with Peruvian trainees and technical interns, the accreditation standards of sending organizations. They also suggested organizing forum for returnees and other follow-up efforts such as compiling successful cases of returnees..

In response, MTPE explained that more work needs to be done in order to improve the national directive “Procedures of Foreign Labor Intermediation Service”, commenced in September 2009, to fit the Japanese technical intern training program. MTPE also explained that the ministry would continue to recruit technical intern trainee candidates and be in charge of the first selection process in order to attract workers from a wide variety of fields. However, they would look for appropriate organizations to whom they could delegate other tasks, such as communication with Japanese accepting organizations, the final selection of technical intern candidates, immigration procedures, and pre-dispatch training. MTPE expressed difficulty in the re-accreditation of the current sending organizations, which were certified by the previous Peruvian governmental contact, due to lack of an adequate legal framework. For the time being, MTPE had planned to make contracts with organizations that had experiences with the Japanese and a good reputation in Peru to take over these tasks after the first selection of technical intern trainee candidates.

Following the meeting, a new R/D was concluded, including requests from the Peruvian governmental contact. Minister García and Mr. Kensuke Tsuzuki, senior vice-president of JITCO signed the R/D on April 21. The minister expressed her hopes and expectations for the program.

For inquiries on accepting technical intern trainees from Peru, please contact the JITCO International Affairs Department.