Script and Vocabulary
文字と語彙
Recognise hiragana, katakana and basic kanji, and pick the right word for an everyday situation.
about 12 questions
JFT-Basic
The JFT-Basic test, explained
The Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese is the fastest route to proving the Japanese you need for a Specified Skilled Worker visa. About fifty questions, sixty minutes, on a computer — and you see your score before you leave the building.
- Questions
- about 50
- Time
- 60 minutes
- A2.2 threshold
- 200 / 250
- Levels reported
- A1 · A2.1 · A2.2
- Format
- Computer-based
- Retake after
- 45 days
Last reviewed
What JFT-Basic is for
JFT-Basic exists to answer one question: can this person manage daily life and basic work in Japanese? It measures ability at A2 on the JF Standard for Japanese-Language Education, which is aligned to the CEFR, and a score of 200 out of 250 is the threshold that satisfies the language requirement for the Specified Skilled Worker residence status.
That purpose shapes everything about the content. There is no essay, no literature and no abstract argument. Instead you get shift briefings, safety notices, delivery schedules, requests from a supervisor and the kind of short internal message you would actually receive at work. If you have spent time in a Japanese workplace, the test will feel familiar in a way a textbook exam does not.
It is run by the Japan Foundation and delivered as a computer-based test through Prometric test centres. Sittings are frequent — often monthly in the countries where demand is highest — which makes it a very different proposition from an exam held twice a year.
The four sections
About 50 questions in 60 minutes — roughly 12 per section, and a little over a minute each. There are no per-section time limits, so the clock is yours to spend across the whole paper.
Conversation and Expression
会話と表現
Choose the natural thing to say in a workplace or daily-life exchange, including basic keigo.
about 12 questions
Listening Comprehension
聴解
Understand short spoken instructions, announcements and workplace conversations.
about 12 questions
Reading Comprehension
読解
Read notices, schedules, short messages and simple workplace documents.
about 12 questions
New since August 2026
JFT-Basic now reports three levels, not one
Until July 2026 the test told you one thing: whether you had reached A2. Since August 2026 it reports A1 and A2.1 as well, across a 10–250 scale. If you are aiming at a Specified Skilled Worker visa, nothing has changed — you still need 200. What is new is that a score below 200 is no longer simply a fail.
| Level | Score | What it is used for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| A2.2 (A2) | 200 – 250 | Specified Skilled Worker (i) — 特定技能1号 | The level JFT-Basic reported on its own until July 2026. Unchanged. |
| A2.1 | 175 – 199 | Mainly voluntary employer changes under Employment for Skill Development | Shows you have passed A1 and are working towards A2.2. |
| A1 | 145 – 174 | Employment for Skill Development (育成就労), and some student enrolment | New in August 2026 — previously these scores returned no level at all. |
| No assessment | below 145 | — | The report shows a score but no CEFR level. |
Why this mattersThe lower bands exist for Employment for Skill Development (育成就労), the status that replaces Technical Intern Training from April 2027. If your route into Japan runs through that programme rather than straight to Specified Skilled Worker, an A1 or A2.1 result is now something you can actually evidence.
Scoring
Why the pass mark is 200 out of 250
The 200-point mark is where the scale places the A2.2 boundary. It is not an arbitrary cut-off designed to fail a certain share of candidates — below it means "not yet A2", above it means "A2 or better", and the visa requirement attaches to that boundary.
People compare it to the JLPT and worry, because 80% sounds brutal against N4's 50%. That comparison does not hold: the two exams built their scales independently, so the percentages are percentages of different things. What is true in practice is thatJFT-Basic leaves you less visible margin — you cannot write off an entire section and pass on the strength of the others.
As a planning guide, work towards 80% in practice with room to spare. If your mock scores sit exactly on the line, you are not ready — you are at the boundary, and the boundary is not where you want to be when the clock is real.
Where you can sit JFT-Basic
Countries that have hosted sittings. Availability and scheduling change, so confirm locally before making plans.
JapanPhilippinesIndonesiaNepalMyanmarCambodiaMongoliaThailandVietnamSri LankaBangladeshUzbekistanKyrgyzstanIndiaMalaysiaPakistan
Free practice
JFT-Basic Mock Test 1
A 20-question practice set modelled on the real JFT-Basic, which has about 50 questions in 60 minutes with no per-section time limits. All four sections are represented in the same proportions, and the workplace and daily-life situations are the kind the real test favours because it is designed around the Specified Skilled Worker visa.
FAQ
JFT-Basic — frequently asked questions
What is the JFT-Basic test?
JFT-Basic is the Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese (国際交流基金日本語基礎テスト). It is a computer-based test that measures whether you can handle everyday Japanese at around A2 level, and its main purpose is proving the language ability required for the Specified Skilled Worker (特定技能) residence status.
What score do I need to pass JFT-Basic?
For the Specified Skilled Worker (i) visa you need 200 points or above, which is the A2.2 band. Since August 2026 the test also reports two lower levels: A2.1 at 175–199 and A1 at 145–174. Those matter for the Employment for Skill Development status rather than for Specified Skilled Worker.
How long is the JFT-Basic test?
About 50 questions in 60 minutes, taken on a computer at a Prometric test centre — roughly 12 questions in each of its four sections: Script and Vocabulary, Conversation and Expression, Listening Comprehension and Reading Comprehension. There are no per-section time limits; the 60 minutes covers the whole paper.
When do I get my JFT-Basic results?
A provisional score appears on screen as soon as you finish the test — one of the real advantages over the JLPT, which takes about two months. The official score report follows online.
Can I retake JFT-Basic?
If you scored 199 or below, yes — after a waiting period of 45 days, counted from the day after your previous sitting. If you have already scored 200 or above you cannot sit it again, because you have met the A2.2 requirement.
Is JFT-Basic the same as JLPT N4?
No, though they target a similar level and both satisfy the Specified Skilled Worker language requirement. JFT-Basic is a single computer-based test held many times a year with an 80% pass bar; the JLPT is a five-level paper exam held twice a year with a 50% pass bar at N4. JFT-Basic content leans towards workplace and daily-life situations.
What changed in JFT-Basic in August 2026?
The test began reporting A1 (145–174) and A2.1 (175–199) alongside the A2.2 band (200–250) it had reported on its own until July 2026. The A2.2 threshold itself is unchanged, so nothing about the Specified Skilled Worker requirement moved. The point of the new bands is to give people working towards the Employment for Skill Development status a way to evidence a lower level.
Do I need anything besides JFT-Basic for the SSW visa?
Yes. You also need to pass the skills test for your specific industry. Applicants who satisfactorily completed Technical Intern Training (技能実習 2号) in a corresponding field are generally exempt from both tests — confirm your own case with the Immigration Services Agency or your accepting organisation.
Test format
What each of the four sections actually contains, with examples.
Scoring
The 10–250 scale, the A1/A2.1/A2.2 bands, and what to do if you miss 200.
JFT-Basic vs JLPT N4
Both satisfy the visa requirement. Which one fits your timeline?
Verify before you registerFees, dates, eligibility and visa requirements are set by the Japan Foundation, Prometric and Japan's Immigration Services Agency, and they do change. Confirm current details atthe official JFT-Basic sitebefore booking. Exam Sensei is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with any examining body.