“We want to hire foreign nationals under Specified Skilled Worker, but we don’t know which exams candidates need to take.” Hiring managers often share this concern with us.

In principle, obtaining Specified Skilled Worker status of residence requires passing two exams: a Japanese language exam and a field-specific skills evaluation exam. Exam types differ by field, and schedules and test locations vary widely. The system is further complicated by cases where completing Technical Intern Training (ii) can exempt candidates from the exams.

For example, Tanaka (a pseudonym), who handled hiring at a nursing care facility in Saitama Prefecture, was not aware of a Vietnamese candidate’s exam schedule. The timing of the status of residence application slipped, and hiring was delayed by three months. “If I had understood the full exam picture from the start, it would have gone much more smoothly,” Tanaka recalls.

This article provides a concrete overview of the Specified Skilled Worker exams—from the big picture to field-specific content, pass rates, exemption conditions, and practical points hiring managers should know. Reading it together with the flow of hiring foreign nationals will make it easier to build your hiring plan.

Overview of the Specified Skilled Worker Exams — What You Need to Clear to Obtain Status of Residence

To obtain Specified Skilled Worker (i) status of residence, candidates must pass the following two types of exams.

1. Japanese language proficiency exams

These exams measure a foreign candidate’s Japanese ability. Candidates must pass one of the following.

  • Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N4 or higher: Held twice a year (July and December). Available in many cities in Japan and overseas
  • Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese (JFT-Basic): Held six or more times a year via CBT (computer-based testing). Results are typically available in about five weeks

For the nursing care field only, candidates must also pass the “Nursing Care Japanese Evaluation Exam” in addition to the above. This exam confirms understanding of specialized terms used in nursing care settings; details are available on the official Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese (JFT-Basic) website.

2. Field-specific skills evaluation exams

These exams measure the skill level required in each field. The administering body differs by field, and the mix of written and practical components also varies by field.

For details on how the Specified Skilled Worker system works, see the Immigration Services Agency of Japan page “About the Specified Skilled Worker System”.

Acceptance under Specified Skilled Worker has now been expanded to 16 fields. For details on each field, see our list of 14 industries covered by Specified Skilled Worker.

If you are unsure which exams apply to your industry, contact us for a free consultation. We will provide exam information tailored to your industry.

Field-Specific Skills Evaluation Exams — Comparing Content, Administering Bodies, and Pass Rates

Specified Skilled Worker skills evaluation exams differ substantially by field. For hiring managers supporting candidates, an accurate understanding of the exam content in their own field is essential.

Comparison table: exam overview for major fields

| Field | Exam name | Administering body | Format | Frequency (approx. per year) | Pass rate (approx.) |

|------|----------|----------|----------|----------------------|------------|

| Nursing care | Nursing Care Skills Evaluation Exam | Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare | CBT (written + practical) | Year-round (nearly monthly) | About 70–80% |

| Food service | Food Service Skills Measurement Exam | Organization for Technical Skill Assessment of Foreign Workers in Food Industry (OTAFF) | CBT | 6+ times per year | About 60–75% |

| Food and beverage manufacturing | Food and Beverage Manufacturing Skills Measurement Exam | OTAFF | CBT | 6+ times per year | About 65–80% |

| Construction | Construction Field Specified Skilled Worker (i) Evaluation Exam | Japan Association for Construction Human Resources (JAC) | CBT + practical | Multiple times per year | About 50–70% |

| Accommodation | Accommodation Industry Skills Measurement Exam | Accommodation Skills Testing Center | CBT | 3–4 times per year | About 60–70% |

| Building cleaning | Building Cleaning Field Specified Skilled Worker (i) Evaluation Exam | National Building Maintenance Association | Written + practical | 2–3 times per year | About 60–75% |

| Manufacturing (materials processing, industrial machinery, electrical and electronic) | Manufacturing Field Specified Skilled Worker (i) Evaluation Exam | Under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry | CBT | Year-round | About 50–65% |

| Agriculture | Agriculture Skills Measurement Exam | National Chamber of Agriculture | CBT | 4–6 times per year | About 70–85% |

*Pass rates vary by exam session and test location. Please check the official website of each administering body for the latest information.

List of skills exams and where to check them, by field

The comparison table above is a guide for eight major fields. To pin down the exact exam name and where to apply in your field, start from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) “Exams” page. For each field, it collects the exam guidelines for the skills exams and links to the website of the ministry or organization that runs them. The Specified Skilled Worker (i) skills exams and where to check them, as confirmed on that page on October 26, 2026, are as follows (exam and organization names are our translations).

| Field | Specified Skilled Worker (i) skills exam (title of the exam guidelines) | Where to check (as linked by the ISA page) |

|------|------|------|

| Nursing care | Nursing Care Skills Evaluation Exam (plus the Nursing Care Japanese Evaluation Exam) | Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare |

| Building cleaning | Building Cleaning Field Specified Skilled Worker (i) Evaluation Exam | Japan Building Maintenance Association |

| Industrial product manufacturing | Manufacturing Field Specified Skilled Worker Evaluation Exam | Japan Association for Industrial Manufacturing Skilled Human Resources |

| Construction | Construction Field Specified Skilled Worker (i) Evaluation Exam | Japan Association for Construction Human Resources (JAC) |

| Shipbuilding and ship machinery | Shipbuilding and Ship Machinery Field Specified Skilled Worker (i) Exam | ClassNK (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai) |

| Automobile repair and maintenance | Automobile Repair and Maintenance Field Specified Skilled Worker (i) Evaluation Exam | Japan Automobile Service Promotion Association |

| Aviation | Aviation Field (Airport Ground Handling) Specified Skilled Worker Evaluation Exam / Specified Skilled Worker Evaluation Exam (Aviation Field: Aircraft Maintenance) | Japan Aeronautical Engineers’ Association |

| Accommodation | Accommodation Field Specified Skilled Worker (i) Evaluation Exam | Accommodation Skills Testing Center |

| Automobile transportation | Automobile Transportation Field Specified Skilled Worker (i) Evaluation Exam | ClassNK (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai) |

| Railway | Railway Field Specified Skilled Worker (i) Evaluation Exam (electrical equipment maintenance, rolling stock maintenance, rolling stock manufacturing, track maintenance, transport staff) | Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism |

| Agriculture | Agriculture Skills Measurement Exam for (i) | National Chamber of Agriculture |

| Fishery | Fishery Skills Measurement Exam for (i) (fishing / aquaculture) | Japan Fisheries Association |

| Food and beverage manufacturing | Food and Beverage Manufacturing Specified Skilled Worker Skills Measurement Exam | OTAFF |

| Food service | Food Service Specified Skilled Worker Skills Measurement Exam | OTAFF |

| Forestry | Forestry Skills Measurement Exam | Forestry Skills Improvement Center |

| Wood industry | Wood Industry Specified Skilled Worker (i) Measurement Exam | Japan Federation of Wood-industry Associations |

Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, “Exams (試験関係)” (checked October 26, 2026). The page also lists the evaluation exam guidelines by field.

Exam fees, test locations, and exam languages differ by exam and are revised from time to time. Before guiding a candidate, check the latest details on the website listed in the table. For exams split into categories—such as construction, aviation, and railway—also confirm that the category matches the job you plan to hire for.

Question trends and preparation tips

Nursing care tests knowledge of bathing, meal, and toileting assistance, as well as judgment related to ensuring user safety. The practical portion uses situation-based judgment with illustrations and videos.

Construction is characterized by finely divided exam categories. Candidates must take a separate exam for each occupation—such as scaffolding, rebar work, or interior finishing—and choosing the wrong category means retaking the exam.

Food service and food and beverage manufacturing include many hygiene management questions and test basic HACCP knowledge. Temperature control and handwashing procedures under the Food Sanitation Act appear frequently.

Cases Eligible for Exam Exemption — Completing Technical Intern Training and Designated Activities

Not every foreign candidate needs to take the exams. If certain conditions are met, the exams are waived.

When Technical Intern Training (ii) is completed successfully

Foreign nationals who successfully complete Technical Intern Training (ii) (three years of training completed without issues) are exempt from both the Japanese language exam and the skills evaluation exam. However, the exemption applies only when the occupation under Technical Intern Training is related to the field under Specified Skilled Worker.

For example, someone who worked in “food manufacturing” under Technical Intern Training and then works in Specified Skilled Worker “food and beverage manufacturing” is eligible for the exemption. By contrast, someone with “food manufacturing” training experience who moves into the “construction” field must newly pass the construction skills evaluation exam.

When Technical Intern Training (iii) is completed

Completing Technical Intern Training (iii) likewise results in exam exemption. However, Technical Intern Training (iii) is available only when the supervising organization or implementing organization has received an excellent rating, so the number of eligible people is limited.

Practical points to note

Exemption is determined through individual review by the immigration authority at the time of the status of residence application. Because the Technical Intern Training occupation name and the Specified Skilled Worker field name do not always match, it is safer to consult the competent immigration authority in advance.

At manufacturing company A in Aichi Prefecture, when switching a Technical Intern Training (ii) completer to Specified Skilled Worker, the occupation name during training and the Specified Skilled Worker category name differed slightly, and additional documents were requested. Suzuki (a pseudonym), the person in charge, says, “If we had checked with immigration in advance, we could have avoided redoing the application.” In such cases, support from a Registered Support Organization can greatly reduce procedural risk.

Types and overview of status of residence are also worth reviewing to clarify the overall system.

Practical Exam-Related Points Hiring Managers Should Know

Here are the practical points companies should keep in mind regarding Specified Skilled Worker exams.

Build hiring plans backward from exam schedules

Skills evaluation exam frequency varies widely by field. Some fields, such as nursing care and food and beverage manufacturing, are held nearly every month, while others, such as accommodation, offer only three to four opportunities a year.

The golden rule is to build hiring plans backward from the exam schedule. Application deadlines are often set one to two months before the exam date, so waiting until a candidate is found before checking exam dates can leave you short on time.

Consider using overseas exam sessions

Skills evaluation exams are held not only in Japan but also in multiple countries, including Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Nepal. When candidates are overseas, they can take the exam locally and then apply for a Certificate of Eligibility after passing.

From exam to first day of work: steps and typical timelines

Passing the exams does not mean a candidate can start work right away. The typical flow is as follows.

  1. Check exam dates and apply: confirm the dates of the field’s skills exam and the Japanese language exam, and apply on each administering body’s website
  2. Pass and receive the certificates: receive from the candidate the skills exam pass certificate and the Japanese language exam pass certificate (for JFT-Basic, the result notice)
  3. Apply for status of residence: for candidates overseas, apply for a Certificate of Eligibility; for candidates in Japan with another status, apply for a change of status of residence
  4. Start work after permission is granted (overseas candidates obtain a visa after the Certificate of Eligibility is issued and then travel to Japan)

The standard processing period for a Certificate of Eligibility application is one to three months. The ISA asks applicants to submit documents with enough lead time so the certificate can be issued before entry (Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, “Application for Certificate of Eligibility (在留資格認定証明書交付申請)”, checked October 26, 2026).

The standard processing period for a change of status of residence application is one to two months, and the application can be filed from when the reason for the change arises until the period of stay expires (Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, “Application for Change of Status of Residence (在留資格変更許可申請)”, checked October 26, 2026).

For exam dates, the ISA “Exams (試験関係)” page posts schedule tables for the Specified Skilled Worker (i) and (ii) exams (as of our check on October 26, 2026, the version current as of September 30, 2026). The tables are based on information from the ministries and organizations that run the exams at the time of posting, and the page directs readers to each exam’s website for the latest dates and details.

When working backward from a target start date, add up the time for the exam date, the result announcement, receiving the certificates, the status of residence application, and permission, in that order. Review times vary within the standard processing period, and pass/fail results also change the plan, so confirm the candidate’s planned exam date at the offer stage and keep several candidates moving in parallel so you can re-plan easily.

Decide in advance who pays exam fees

Exam fees vary by field but are generally around 3,500 to 7,000 yen. JFT-Basic is 7,000 yen, and JLPT is 6,500 yen (in Japan). Companies are not legally required to cover exam fees, but more companies are covering them in light of candidates’ financial burden. Setting a clear rule in advance helps prevent trouble.

Decide in advance how to handle failing candidates

Also decide before starting the hiring process how you will respond if a candidate fails. Will you support a retake, or switch to another candidate? Pass rates vary by field and exam session, so planning on the assumption that everyone will pass on the first try carries risk.

Receiving and checking pass certificates

Hearing a candidate say “I passed” is not the end of the check. When you receive the certificates, verify these three points.

  • Name: the name on the certificate matches the spelling on the candidate’s passport or residence card
  • Field and category: the exam name and category correspond to the field and job you plan to hire for. Candidates who have taken exams in several fields sometimes submit the certificate for a different field
  • Both exams covered: you have certificates for both the skills exam and the Japanese language exam. If the exams are waived because the candidate successfully completed Technical Intern Training (ii), check documents showing that completion instead of exam certificates

The JFT-Basic result notice is issued within five business days of the test date (Source: The Japan Foundation, “JFT-Basic FAQ”, checked October 26, 2026).

Recording in your hiring log and handing over

Once the check is complete, record it in your hiring management log. The four items worth recording are the skills exam name and category, the type and result of the Japanese language exam, the date the certificates were received and where copies are stored, and the staff member who checked them. Without a record, a successor may have to ask the candidate to submit the same documents again after a personnel change. Add “exam certificate check status” to your handover checklist as well.

If a pass certificate is lost

Certificates are issued by the exam’s administering body, so ask the candidate to request a reissue or replacement from the issuer. For skills exams, check the procedure on the website listed for the field in the table above.

For the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), a “Certificate of Result and Scores” showing the pass/fail result and scores by section is issued to those who need it for study or employment. (Source: JLPT official website, “Certificate of Result and Scores”, checked October 26, 2026).

For JFT-Basic, the result notice can be viewed and printed by logging in to the reservation website while the result data is still stored. Either way, obtaining documents can take time, so ask the candidate to request them early, working backward from the planned status of residence application date.

YourBright’s foreign talent placement service introduces candidates who have already passed the exams, as well as those eligible for exam exemption through completed Technical Intern Training, from a database of more than 170,000 people. Companies that want to reduce the burden of exam preparation are welcome to use the service.

Common Failure Patterns — When Exam Issues Delay Hiring

Here are failure patterns companies often fall into in connection with Specified Skilled Worker exams.

Failure 1: Choosing the wrong exam category

In construction and manufacturing, exam categories are finely divided. Construction, for example, includes multiple categories such as scaffolding, rebar work, formwork, and interior finishing, and a status of residence application will not be approved unless the candidate has passed in the category that matches the actual work to be performed.

It is not uncommon to feel reassured when a candidate says they “passed the construction exam,” only to find it was a different category.

Failure 2: Confusing types of Japanese language exams

Both JLPT and JFT-Basic satisfy the Japanese language requirement for Specified Skilled Worker, but their schedules differ completely. JLPT is held only twice a year (July and December), and result notification takes more than two months. JFT-Basic, by contrast, can be taken nearly year-round, with results in about five weeks.

When you are in a hurry, choosing JFT-Basic is the practical standard. Aligning with JLPT dates can delay the entire hiring schedule by more than six months.

Failure 3: Mismatch between period of stay and exam dates

When a foreign national currently staying under Designated Activities or Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services switches to Specified Skilled Worker, they must pass the exam and complete the change of status application before their current period of stay expires. Overstaying the period of stay can require leaving Japan, so manage the schedule carefully.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare “Measures for Employment of Foreign Nationals” page also publishes the latest system information on employing foreign nationals.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Can candidates retake the skills evaluation exam as many times as needed?

Yes, retakes are allowed. However, exam frequency differs by field, so after a fail you must wait until the next exam date. Nursing care is held nearly every month, while accommodation and agriculture are held only several times a year. Build slack into your hiring plan with retake timing in mind.

Q2: Are completers of Technical Intern Training (i) eligible for exam exemption?

No. Completing only Technical Intern Training (i) does not qualify for exam exemption. Exemption applies when Technical Intern Training (ii) or higher is completed successfully. To move to Specified Skilled Worker, a (i) completer must pass both the Japanese language exam and the skills evaluation exam.

Q3: Are the exams administered in Japanese?

Depending on the field, the skills evaluation exam may be available in the candidate’s native language. The Nursing Care Skills Evaluation Exam can be taken in multiple languages, including Vietnamese, Indonesian, and English. The Japanese language exams (JLPT and JFT-Basic), of course, measure Japanese ability.

Yamamoto (a pseudonym) at company B, a restaurant chain in Osaka, supported a Filipino candidate taking the Food Service Skills Measurement Exam. The candidate chose to take it in English and passed on the first attempt. “Knowing that a native-language option was available helped ease the candidate’s anxiety,” Yamamoto recalls.

Q4: Are there exams for Specified Skilled Worker (ii) as well?

Exams are also required to move to Specified Skilled Worker (ii). The (ii) exams require a higher skill level and are more difficult than (i). Because (ii) has no upper limit on the period of stay and allows family accompaniment, it is drawing attention as a long-term career path.

Q5: Is it a problem if a company supports a candidate’s exam preparation?

It is not a problem. In fact, company support for exam preparation can improve pass rates and hiring speed. Providing study materials and advance training on job-related knowledge also contributes to better performance after joining.

Summary — Grasp the Full Picture of the Exams and Hire with a Plan

Here are the key points to remember about the Specified Skilled Worker exams.

  • Obtaining Specified Skilled Worker (i) requires passing a Japanese language test (JLPT N4 or higher, or JFT-Basic) and a field-specific skills evaluation exam
  • Those who have successfully completed Technical Intern Training (ii) are exempt from both exams, limited to related fields
  • Exam frequency, pass rates, and testing languages vary significantly by field
  • It is important to build hiring plans by working backward from the exam schedule
  • Mistakes in selecting the exam category or mismatches with the period of stay lead directly to hiring delays

The Specified Skilled Worker exam system is complex, but understanding the overall picture will help you move the hiring process forward smoothly.

As a Registered Support Organization (registration number: 19登-000992), YourBright provides end-to-end support—from introducing candidates who have already passed the exams, to assisting with status of residence applications, to retention support after joining through staff who speak their native languages. There are no initial or operating fees; we work on a fully success-based fee model.

For consultations on Specified Skilled Worker hiring—such as confirming which exams are required in your field or requesting introductions to candidates eligible for exam exemptions—please feel free to contact us via free consultation here. You can also reach us by phone (03-6908-6143; hours: 9:00–18:00).