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JFT-Basic or JLPT N4 for Japan's SSW Visa
By Language Lab editorial team
Japan's Specified Skilled Worker visa accepts the JFT-Basic or JLPT N4 as the language test. How the two differ, who is exempt, and when they are held in 2026.
To work in Japan under Specified Skilled Worker (i) you must pass a Japanese language test and a skills proficiency test for your field. The language requirement is met by either the Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese, the JFT-Basic, or the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test at N4 or higher. People who satisfactorily completed Technical Intern Training (ii) are exempt from both tests, though a change of field still needs that field's skills test. The tests are not free. The Immigration Services Agency's support site publishes the schedules: within Japan the JFT-Basic was offered on many dates in October and November 2026 and the JLPT on 6 December 2026; abroad, JFT-Basic dates are listed by country.
The two tests, compared
| JFT-Basic | JLPT N4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | Japan Foundation | Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services |
| Purpose | Built for the SSW programme: everyday Japanese for living and working | General proficiency test with five levels, N5 to N1 |
| Sittings | Many dates, within Japan and by country abroad | Fixed dates; in Japan, 6 December 2026 |
| Accepted for SSW (i) | Yes | Yes, at N4 or higher |
Both satisfy the same requirement. The practical difference is scheduling: the JFT-Basic runs in blocks of dates through the year, the JLPT twice a year on fixed days. If your employer's start date is close, the JFT-Basic is usually the faster route to a certificate.
Who is exempt
If you have satisfactorily completed Technical Intern Training (ii), you do not need to pass the language or skills tests to move into Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the same field. To work in a different field you need that field's skills proficiency test, but not a new language test.
Field exceptions
Some fields set their own Japanese level above the baseline; the support site's field pages carry the detail. Check the page for your field before booking, because a higher JLPT level cannot be replaced by the JFT-Basic where a field asks for N3.
Booking
- Check the website of the agency or organisation offering the test and follow its procedure; the support site lists schedules but does not take bookings.
- Within Japan, JFT-Basic sittings were scheduled on 2–11, 13–16, 18–23 and 26–30 October 2026 and 2, 4–6 and 9–13 November 2026.
- Abroad, the JFT-Basic is scheduled country by country; the Philippines, for example, had October 2026 dates.
- The JLPT in Japan is on 6 December 2026.
After the language test
The second half of the requirement is the skills proficiency test for your field, defined in that field's operation policy and run by its testing body. Only with both certificates, or a Technical Intern Training (ii) completion, can the employer sponsor the status of residence. Tier (ii), with no upper limit on stay and the right to bring family, has its own skills test and may require work experience.
Frequently asked
Which Japanese test do I need for the SSW visa?
The JFT-Basic or the JLPT at N4 or higher, plus a skills proficiency test for your field.
Is the JFT-Basic easier than the JLPT N4?
They meet the same requirement; the JFT-Basic is built for everyday working Japanese and offered on more dates, the JLPT N4 is a general proficiency level with fixed dates.
Am I exempt if I did Technical Intern Training?
If you satisfactorily completed Technical Intern Training (ii), yes, in the same field; a new field needs its skills test.
When is the JLPT in Japan in 2026?
6 December 2026, according to the support site's schedule.
Are the tests free?
No. The support site states that taking the tests costs money.
Checked against the Immigration Services Agency's Specified Skilled Worker support site, tests page and how-to-obtain page, on 3 November 2026.
