What is The Specified Skills Evaluation Exam? What is the test content and the pass certificate of passing?

Hello, this is Kano from JAC (Japan Association for Construction Human Resources).

In order to obtain the "Specified Skills" status of residence, you must pass the "The Specified Skills Evaluation Exam."

This time, we will introduce the contents of The Specified Skills Evaluation Exam and the process from applying for the test to passing.

What is The Specified Skills Evaluation Exam?

The Specified Skills Evaluation Exam is an examination that foreigners take to obtain a "Specified Skills" residence status.
It measures the skill level of whether you can perform the work smoothly.

However, there are cases where The Specified Skills Evaluation Exam is exempted.

Conditions for exemption from The Specified Skills Evaluation Exam

The Specified Skills Evaluation Exam is exempted for those who have successfully completed Technical Intern Training (ii) in the same work category and are transitioning to Specified Skills.

Foreigners who successfully complete Technical Intern Training (ii) in a related job are deemed to already have the "skills to do that job."
Therefore, they are exempt from The Specified Skills Evaluation Exam and can obtain "Specified Skilled Worker (i)" residence status.

What does it mean to “successfully complete Technical Intern Training (ii)”?

"Successfully completing Technical Intern Training (ii)" refers to a person who has completed technical intern training for two years and ten months or more and meets either of the following criteria:

• Passed the Skill Test Level 3
• Pass the practical exam for the Skills Internship Evaluation Test (specialized level), which is equivalent to the Skills Test Level 3

If the trainee has not passed the practical exam, he/she will be deemed to be in good standing if there is an evaluation report* on the trainee.
*Documents regarding the evaluation of the internship's implementation by the internship provider (including the internship provider under the former technical internship system) that describe the intern's attendance record, skill acquisition status, lifestyle, etc.

For more information on Specified Skills, please see "What is the Specified Skills system? An easy-to-understand explanation!"
Please feel free to use this as a reference.

What is the content of The Specified Skills Evaluation Exam?

The Specified Skills Evaluation Exam is divided into 16 areas.
There are the following skills evaluation exam by field:

• Nursing care field: Nursing care skills evaluation exam
• Building cleaning field: Building cleaning field The Specified Skills (i) Evaluation Exam
• Manufacturing field: Manufacturing field The Specified Skills (i) Evaluation Exam
• Construction sector: The Specified Skills (i) Evaluation Exam for Construction Industry
• Shipbuilding and marine industry: Shipbuilding and marine industry Specified Skilled Worker (i) test
• Automobile maintenance field: Automobile maintenance The Specified Skills Evaluation Exam
• Aviation field: Aviation field skills evaluation exam (airport ground handling), Aviation field skills evaluation exam (aircraft maintenance)
• Accommodation sector: Accommodation industry skills assessment test
• Agriculture: Agricultural skills test (general crop farming), agricultural skills test (general livestock farming)
• Fisheries sector: Fisheries skills measurement test (fishing), Fisheries skills measurement test (aquaculture)
• Food and beverage manufacturing sector: Food and beverage manufacturing Specified Skilled Worker (i) skill measurement test
• Food service industry: Food service industry Specified Skilled Worker (i) skill assessment test
• Automobile transport industry: Automobile transport industry The Specified Skills (i) Evaluation Exam (truck) and first-class driver's license, Automobile transport industry The Specified Skills (i) Evaluation Exam (taxi) and second-class driver's license...Other
• Railway: Railway sector The Specified Skills (i) Evaluation Exam (track maintenance), Skills test grade 3 (machining)...etc.
• Forestry: Forestry Skills Assessment Test
• Wood industry: Wood industry Specified Skilled Worker (i) measurement test

Here, we will introduce the contents of skills evaluation exam The Specified Skills (i) Evaluation Exam for Construction Industry Test for reference.

Overview of skills evaluation exam in the Construction Sector (The Specified Skills (i) Evaluation Exam for Construction Industry)

skills evaluation exam in the construction field consist of a written test and a practical test.
The exam is conducted in Japanese.

The exam outline is as follows:

The scope of the construction field exam is divided into three categories: civil engineering, architecture, and lifelines/facilities.

Detailed exam scope can be downloaded from the following page.
The Specified Skills Evaluation Exam for Construction Industry

The process from applying for the construction industry The Specified Skills Evaluation Exam to receiving a certificate

We will explain the process from applying for The Specified Skills Evaluation Exam to receiving the pass certificate (certificate of passing), using the construction industry as an example.

We will introduce The Specified Skills Evaluation Exam divided into "taking it in Japan" and "taking it outside Japan."

Steps for taking the exam in Japan

The process from application to receiving your certificate is as follows:

1. Install the smartphone app "JAC Members"
2. Apply to take the exam
3. The exam ticket will be delivered to "JAC Members"
4. Take the exam
5. Test results are sent to "JAC Members"
6. If you pass, a certificate will be sent to "JAC Members".

For instructions on how to install and use the app, please visit the JAC website below.
Introducing the JAC Members app

Steps for taking the exam outside of Japan

The Specified Skills Evaluation Exam can be taken outside of Japan through Prometric.
The process from application to receiving your certificate is as follows:

1. Create a Prometric ID
2. Book your exam by 23:59 (Japan time) three business days (Note 1) before the exam date (Note 2)
3. Bring your identification documents (depending on the country) to the test venue
4. Take the exam
5. After the test is completed, the results are displayed on the computer.
6. The result notification will be sent to your Prometric My Page.
   *Results will be sent to you within 5 business days after the test. Please log in to your My Page and check.
7. Apply for a certificate using the smartphone app "JAC Members" (Note 3)
   *Please download your certificate as soon as possible after it is issued and keep it in a safe place.

*Note 1: Business days exclude Saturdays, Sundays, Japanese holidays, and New Year's holidays.

*Note 2: Please apply for Prometric exams from the following page.
Prometric application page

*Note 3: For instructions on how to register an account, please visit the JAC website below.
Apply for a Certificate (JAC Members)

This exam is offered in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam (as of March 2025). The number of countries offering the exam is expanding, so we recommend checking the official Prometric website for the countries where the exam is offered, detailed information, and the latest exam dates.

In order to obtain the "Specified Skills" residence status, you must also pass a Japanese language test.

The Japanese language test is a common test for all areas of Specified Skills.

You must have passed the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N4 or above, or the Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Test (JFT).
*For those in the nursing care field, you will also need to pass the Nursing Care Japanese Assessment Test.

As with skills evaluation exam, those who have successfully completed Technical Intern Training (ii) are exempt from the Japanese language test.
This is because they are deemed to already have "enough Japanese language skills to work without any problems."

What is the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)?

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is a test to measure the Japanese language proficiency of people whose native language is not Japanese.

The exam can be taken twice a year, in July and December (however, this may change if you are taking the exam outside of Japan).

The questions are written in Japanese using a multiple choice sheet format.
There are five levels, from N1 to N5, with N1 being the most difficult.

To acquire Specified Skills, you need to be at least N4 level.
N4 is the level where you can understand basic Japanese.

The test subjects and times vary from N1 to N5.

What is the Japan Foundation Test for Japanese Language (JFT)?

The Japan Foundation Test for Fundamental Japanese (JFT) is a test to determine whether people whose native language is not Japanese have "a level of ability to carry out daily conversation to a certain extent and not be hindered in daily life."

There is one exam level.
The test is administered using the CBT method, using a computer or tablet.

The questions are written in English, but you can read them in your local language by pressing the "Your Language" button.
Your Language includes the following languages:

• Your Language 1: English, Chinese, Indonesian, Khmer, Mongolian, Burmese, Nepali, Thai, Vietnamese
• Your Language 2: Uzbek, Bengali, Lao, Malay

The exam consists of approximately 50 questions and the test time is 60 minutes.
There are four areas:

• Letters and Vocabulary (about 12 questions)
• Conversation and Expressions (approximately 12 questions)
• Listening comprehension (about 12 questions)
• Reading comprehension (about 12 questions)

There is no time limit for answering each section.

For more information on Japanese language exams, please see "What is the Japanese Language Proficiency Test for Foreigners to Take? Introducing the Types and Levels."

Summary: What is The Specified Skills Evaluation Exam? A test required to obtain the "Specified Skills" residence status

The Specified Skills Evaluation Exam is a test to determine whether or not you have the skill level for a job.
The Specified Skills Evaluation Exam varies depending on the field of Specified Skills, and in the case of the construction industry, it is the "The Specified Skills (i) Evaluation Exam for Construction Industry."

The procedure for taking the exam varies depending on the field.
First, find out about skills evaluation exam in the field you want to take.

Additionally, if you have not successfully completed your technical internship, you will need to pass a Japanese language test to obtain Specified Skills residence status.
The requirements are to have passed the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N4 or above, or the Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Test (JFT).
Don't forget to study Japanese.

*This article was written based on information from May 2024.

About us, JAC

JAC (Japan Association for Construction Human Resources) is an organization that supports all specified skilled workers working in the Japanese construction industry. We work with companies that accept specified skilled workers to create a comfortable work environment for all of you.

We also conduct the exams necessary to become specified skilled workers!

JAC has also received many job offers from companies looking to hire specified skilled workers.
Recruiting specified skilled workers! Job Listings

For those of you who want to work in Japan using Specified Skills, we are introducing jobs that match your occupation and aspirations!

If you have any problems, please feel free to contact us!