Japanese for care workers in Japan: the Kaigo Japanese Language Evaluation Test, its 73% pass mark, and the JFT-Basic or JLPT N4 you need as well
To work in nursing care in Japan on the Specified Skilled Worker (i) visa (特定技能1号, tokutei ginō), you pass three tests, not one: the Long-term Care Skill Evaluation Test, the Long-term Care Japanese Language Evaluation Test (介護日本語評価試験), and a general Japanese test, either the JFT-Basic or the JLPT at N4 or above.
Source: the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's page 介護分野における特定技能外国人の受入れについて, and Prometric's page for the test, both read on 11 November 2026. For the general test, see JFT-Basic explained and JLPT levels.
The care Japanese test in one table
The Japanese test is short and specific to care work. It is taken in Japanese only, on a computer (CBT), and the result is on the screen when you finish; the score report follows on Prometric's site within about five business days.
- Questions15: care vocabulary (5), conversation and spoken prompts with residents (5), care documents (5)
- Time30 minutes
- Pass mark73% of the total score, applied from 1 April 2026
- Feeabout ¥2,000 in MHLW's outline; the fee varies by country, and MHLW posted a fee revision notice on 21 January 2026
- Retakenot within 45 days of a failed attempt; a passed test cannot be retaken
- Age17 or over on the test day (18 for Indonesian nationals)
The skill test, taken alongside it
The Skill Evaluation Test has 45 questions in 60 minutes: 40 written (fundamentals of care 10, mind and body 6, communication 4, daily-life support 20) and 5 practical-judgement questions, also on computer. Its pass mark is 60%. Unlike the Japanese test, it is offered in 13 languages, including English, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Nepali, Burmese and Japanese.
The 45-day wait between attempts applies per test, and Prometric counts the skill test in another language as the same test.
Where and when
Prometric's listing, read 11 November 2026, shows the current period running from 27 April 2026 to 10 March 2027, with booking open until 5 March 2027, in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Pakistan.
You can book up to about 60 days ahead and up to three business days before the test (four if it falls on a weekend or Japanese holiday). Bookings cannot be cancelled, and the fee is not refunded if you miss the test or bring the wrong ID. Inside Japan you need a status of residence to sit it; a short-term stay is enough.
Who does not need the care tests
MHLW exempts three groups from the two care tests when they apply for Specified Skilled Worker (i): people who completed Technical Intern Training (ii) in care in good standing, graduates of a certified care worker training school (介護福祉士養成施設), and EPA care worker candidates who completed their four years.
Passing does not guarantee the visa: the Immigration Services Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs examine each application separately, and both MHLW and Prometric say so on their pages.
How to prepare for 73%
Our reading, not MHLW's: with 15 questions, 73% leaves room for about four wrong answers. The three parts are the words of care work, what you say to a resident while you help them, and the forms and notes care staff read. Generic textbook Japanese at N4 covers grammar but rarely words like 誤嚥 or 移乗, so this test rewards studying care vocabulary and set phrases on their own.
MHLW publishes sample questions for both tests on the same page; try them before you book.
Mistakes worth avoiding
Thinking the JLPT N4 alone is enough for care work.
Planning for three passes: JFT-Basic or JLPT N4, the care Japanese test and the care skill test.
MHLW lists all three for Specified Skilled Worker (i) in care.
Booking the next attempt a week after a fail.
Waiting the full 45 days.
Prometric says a pass taken inside the 45 days can be revoked.
Using the old 60% pass mark from older guides.
Aiming for 73% on the Japanese test.
MHLW's page gives 73% for the Japanese test from 1 April 2026; 60% is the skill test.
Questions
What is the pass mark for the Kaigo Japanese Language Evaluation Test?
73% of the total score, applied from 1 April 2026, according to MHLW's page read on 11 November 2026. The skill test's pass mark is 60%.
How many questions are on the care Japanese test?
15 questions in 30 minutes: 5 on care vocabulary, 5 on conversation and spoken prompts, and 5 on care documents. It is taken in Japanese only, on a computer.
Do I need JLPT N4 for the Specified Skilled Worker care visa?
You need either the JLPT at N4 or above or the JFT-Basic, in addition to the two care tests, unless you are in one of MHLW's exempt groups.
Can I retake the care Japanese test?
Yes, but not within 45 days of the attempt you failed. A test you have passed cannot be taken again.
Last updated