There are more Japanese proficiency tests than most candidates realise, and they are not interchangeable. Sitting the wrong one is an expensive way to find that out.
The one question that matters
What are you trying to prove, and to whom?
- A Specified Skilled Worker visa — the language requirement is satisfied by JFT-Basic (200+) or JLPT N4 or above. Those two.
- An employer or a university — they set their own bar, and it is almost always JLPT, named by level.
- A Japanese language school placement — schools accept a wider range, including NAT-TEST and J.TEST.
Start from the requirement, then pick the test. Not the other way round.
The tests
JFT-Basic (Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese). A2 level, computer-based at Prometric centres, roughly monthly, scored 10–250 with 200 as the pass. Purpose-built for the SSW route, which is why it is faster: it runs every month rather than twice a year. Everything about it is covered across our JFT-Basic guides.
JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test). Five levels, N5 to N1. Held twice a year, in July and December, though some locations only run the December sitting. The certificate employers and universities recognise by name. See JLPT levels explained.
NAT-TEST. A five-level test similar in shape to JLPT, held several times a year. Widely used for Japanese language school admissions. Not accepted for the SSW language requirement.
J.TEST. A test with a broader scoring band, used by some employers, and run frequently. Again, not the SSW language requirement.
The comparison that matters
| JFT-Basic | JLPT | NAT-TEST / J.TEST | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Counts for SSW visa | Yes, 200+ | Yes, N4+ | No |
| Recognised by employers by name | Less so | Widely | Varies |
| How often | Roughly monthly | Twice a year | Several times a year |
| Format | CBT | Paper | Paper |
| Result speed | Provisional immediately | ~2 months | Varies |
So which should you take?
If your goal is the SSW visa and speed matters: JFT-Basic. It runs monthly rather than twice a year, and that difference alone is often several months of your life. This is the main argument for it, and it is a strong one.
If your goal is a job or a university place: JLPT, at the level they asked for. An employer who says “N3” means the JLPT certificate; a JFT-Basic pass is not a substitute in that conversation, whatever it says about your ability.
If you are aiming at both — which is common and sensible — take JFT-Basic first for the visa, then continue to JLPT N4 or N3 while the rest of the SSW process runs. Your Japanese does not reset between them, and the work overlaps heavily. JFT-Basic or JLPT covers the choice properly.
If you are being told to take NAT-TEST or J.TEST for an SSW application, stop and check. They do not satisfy the language requirement, and being steered towards a test that does not count is worth asking hard questions about — see agency red flags.
Before you pay any fee
Whichever test you pick, find out where you stand first. Our free practice test is JFT-Basic-shaped, takes about fifteen minutes, and reports by section. If you are nowhere near 200, that is worth knowing before you buy a seat at anything.