Sign in Subscribe
COVID-19

COVID-19 Pandemic Disrupts Filipino Temporary Labor Migrants in Japan

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A recent study published in the Asian and Pacific Migration Journal examines the experiences of Filipino temporary labor migrants in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers from Hiroshima University conducted ethnographic fieldwork among Filipino communities in Japan since April 2022 and analyzed the impact of travel bans and the implementation of the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) visa on the socioeconomic and geophysical standing of labor migrants.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study identifies five (im)mobility patterns experienced by Filipino temporary labor migrants in Japan during the pandemic: Oblivious, upward, suspended, revamped, and rebooted.
  • The research utilized the mobility paradigm approach pioneered by Sheller and Urry (2006) to analyze the interplay of (im)mobility patterns with respect to positionality, temporality, and perceptionality.
  • The study concludes that a typology of (im)mobility patterns enhances understanding of the experiences of Filipino temporary labor migrants in Japan and the effects of sudden (im)mobility disruptions.
  • The research highlights the challenges faced by labor migrants during the pandemic, including the abrupt implementation of travel bans and the impact on their socioeconomic and geophysical standing.
  • The study was supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI) and MEXT scholarship.
  • The research has been peer-reviewed and published in the Asian and Pacific Migration Journal, 2025.

Statistics:

  • The study was conducted among Filipino communities in Japan since April 2022.
  • The research involved ethnographic fieldwork among Filipino communities in Japan.
  • The study identified five (im)mobility patterns experienced by Filipino temporary labor migrants in Japan during the pandemic.
  • The research was supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI) and MEXT scholarship.
  • The study was published in the Asian and Pacific Migration Journal, 2025.

Sources:

  • NewsRx. Findings from Hiroshima University in the Area of COVID-19 Reported [Filipino Technical Interns and Specified Skilled Workers In Japan During the Covid-19 Pandemic: a Typology of (Im)Mobility Patterns]. Medical Letter on the CDC & FDA. July 20, 2025; p 64.
  • Asian and Pacific Migration Journal. Filipino Technical Interns and Specified Skilled Workers In Japan During the Covid-19 Pandemic: a Typology of (Im)Mobility Patterns. 2025.
  • Sage Publications Ltd. Asian and Pacific Migration Journal, 1 Olivers Yard, 55 City Road, London EC1Y 1SP, England.

Read more