Only 45 foreign trainees affected by a powerful earthquake in Ishikawa Prefecture have been granted permission to work outside their designated workplaces about a month after exceptional measures started, immigration authorities revealed Sunday.
A support group for foreign technical interns pointed out that the measures of the Immigration Services Agency have not been widely known among the trainees yet, and there are likely more foreigners in need who could take advantage of the exceptions, which allow them to work for other employers for three months.
According to a support group in Ishikawa Prefecture, many trainees told the organization that they were not aware of the extraordinary measures until being informed by the organization. Several trainees said that they had never heard of such measures.