Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday announced a bold target, sending 50,000 Assamese youths to Japan for work through the state’s flagship CM-FLIGHT initiative (Chief Minister’s Foreign Language Initiative for Global Human Talent).
Speaking at a milestone event held at the North East Skill Centre in Guwahati, Sarma described the programme as a game-changer that offers a “double benefit”: it opens global job opportunities for local youth and boosts Assam’s economy through foreign remittances.
“States like Kerala and Maharashtra have seen their economies grow through remittances. Assam must move in that direction too. When our youth work abroad and send money home, it will strengthen our state’s financial backbone,” Sarma said.
The CM-FLIGHT programme, run under the Assam Skill Development Mission (ASDM) and the Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship Department (SEED), aims to train youth in foreign languages, especially Japanese, to prepare them for high-demand overseas job markets.
Sarma emphasised the potential of Assamese youth on the global stage, praising both their work ethic and temperament.
“Assam’s men are disciplined and smart, capable of competing internationally. Our women are loving and caring, perfectly suited for nursing and caregiving roles. They can even outperform women from Kerala in these fields,” he added.
Drawing from his own visit to Japan, the Chief Minister said he witnessed the success of Nepali workers in cities like Tokyo and Osaka, most of whom had completed Japanese language training in Nepal before securing employment abroad.
“If Nepal can do it, so can Assam. We can create the same success story here,” he stated.
Sarma highlighted the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between India and Japan to promote workforce exchange under the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) visa programme. This visa category allows employment in over 160 skill sectors in Japan.
“This is a golden opportunity. Any youth who learns Japanese can qualify for an SSW visa,” he said. “Just two days ago, I received a letter from the Speaker of Japan saying they’re ready to welcome more Assamese workers if we can send them.”
In a significant development, Sarma announced a major reduction in training fees for the programme. Earlier, the total fee stood at Rs 3.6 lakh, with Rs 2.1 lakh borne by the applicant. Following discussions with his Japanese counterpart, the applicant's share has now dropped to just Rs 30,000.
“The Assam government will cover Rs 1 lakh, and the Japanese government will contribute Rs 50,000. Axis Bank has agreed to offer loans for the remaining Rs 30,000. This is a huge relief for candidates,” Sarma said.
He also confirmed that Japanese language proficiency at JLPT N2 level will be the key qualification. The state has already set up training facilities at Amingaon to train an initial batch of 200 students, with plans to expand to Gauhati University and Dibrugarh University if demand grows.
Beyond Japan, Sarma revealed that the government is in discussions with South Korea and Germany to establish similar overseas employment pathways.
“If these partnerships materialise, more Assamese youth will access international careers and contribute to building a stronger Assam,” he said.
Applicants must be below 45 years of age and must have completed at least Class 10, Class 12, or graduation. The Chief Minister clarified that while no candidates have yet been placed in Japan through the government programme, some Assamese youth trained independently in Delhi have already secured jobs there.
“We haven’t officially sent candidates yet under CM-FLIGHT, but the groundwork is complete. Once our training centres start producing skilled candidates, placements will follow,” he assured.
The CM-FLIGHT initiative forms part of the state’s broader vision to equip its youth for the global job market, generate overseas remittances, and establish Assam as a hub for skilled international talent.
