Foreign employment
Japan's SSW Route: Two Tests, Nineteen Fields
Japan's Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) status is a test-based work route: instead of an agent's promise, entry rests on two exams you can name, study for, and verify — a Japanese language test plus a skill test for your specific sector. That structure rewards preparation and punishes shortcuts, which makes it a good fit for the same discipline EPS candidates already know. Here is how the route is built, what the tests are, and where the official answers live.
Updated 17 July 2026 · Written for job seekers in Nepal · Every statistic links to its source
Quick answer
To qualify for Japan's Specified Skilled Worker (i) status you must pass two tests: a Japanese language test — JFT-Basic or JLPT level N4 — plus a skill proficiency test for your chosen sector. The program covers 19 industry fields according to Japan's Immigration Services Agency (ssw.go.jp). Test schedules and countries vary by sector; verify them on the official SSW site, the JFT-Basic site, and the test administrator's pages.
Key takeaways
- SSW (i) = one language test (JFT-Basic or JLPT N4) + one sector skill test. Both are real, published exams — there is no agent-controlled step.
- The program covers 19 industry fields per the official SSW support site — the list has expanded twice, so always check the current one there.
- Skill tests are sector-specific: a caregiver, a farm worker, and a food-factory worker each sit a different exam, many administered by Prometric.
- Where and when each test runs changes by sector and year — verify on the official sites, not on recruiter posts.
- Verify any agent, demand letter, or offer through Nepal's Department of Foreign Employment before paying anyone.
What SSW is
Specified Skilled Worker is a Japanese status of residence created for foreign workers with job-ready skills in fields where Japan has labour shortages. It is run by Japan's Immigration Services Agency, which maintains an official multilingual support site at ssw.go.jp — the primary source for how the system works, and the site this page's facts are pulled from.
SSW (i) is the entry level most Nepali applicants target: it requires passing tests (next section) and covers the full field list below. SSW (ii), for more advanced skills in a subset of fields, has stricter requirements — read the official site for the differences, including permitted length of stay, which this page deliberately leaves to the source.
The two tests you must pass
Entry to SSW (i) rests on two exams, and per the official SSW site both are required:
- A Japanese language test: either the JFT-Basic (Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese, a computer-based test designed for this route) or the JLPT at level N4 or above.
- A skill proficiency test for your specific sector — a caregiving candidate sits the nursing-care exam, an agriculture candidate the agriculture exam, and so on. Many of these are administered by Prometric; each sector's page lists its own test details.
One practical note from how the tests are designed: JFT-Basic targets everyday, workplace-ready Japanese, and JLPT N4 is a basic-comprehension level — this is a serious but reachable study goal, comparable in spirit to what EPS-TOPIK asks of Korea candidates.
Tip: Which countries each test runs in, and when, changes by sector and year — some skill tests are held in Japan and only some partner countries. Check the schedule for your sector on the official test pages before planning around it; this page deliberately does not state test locations or dates.
The 19 fields, from the official list
As listed on the Immigration Services Agency's SSW site, Specified Skilled Worker (i) currently covers 19 fields:
- Nursing care
- Building cleaning management
- Construction
- Industrial product manufacturing
- Shipbuilding and ship machinery
- Automobile repair and maintenance
- Aviation
- Accommodation (hotels)
- Automobile transportation
- Railway
- Agriculture
- Fishery and aquaculture
- Food and beverage manufacturing
- Food service (restaurants)
- Forestry
- Wood industry
- Resource recycling
- Linen services
- Logistics warehouse
The list has grown in stages — The Japan Times reports that the three newest fields (resource recycling, linen services, logistics warehouse) were approved in January 2026, with their skill tests still in preparation. So treat the newest fields as "coming, not yet open" until their tests actually run, and always confirm the current state of your field on the official site.
Choosing a field: match your real experience
The skill tests are practical, sector-specific exams — the fastest route through them is the field where you already have working experience. A cook or waiter has a head start in food service; a mechanic in automobile maintenance; a farm worker in agriculture; anyone with caregiving experience in nursing care, the field where shortages are most discussed.
That same experience then has to be visible on paper. Japanese employers read a CV differently from Gulf employers — our Japan CV guide covers the format, and your test results (language and skill) become its strongest lines.
The safety rule: verify before you pay
A test-based route attracts the same fraud as every foreign-employment route: fake demand letters, invented 'quotas', and agents charging for steps that are actually free or official. The defence is the same as for Korea and the Gulf — verify every agent, offer, and demand letter through Nepal's Department of Foreign Employment before money moves, and treat any claim you cannot find on ssw.go.jp, the test sites, or DoFE channels as unverified.
Frequently asked questions
- What Japanese level do I need for SSW?
- JFT-Basic or JLPT N4 — either one satisfies the language requirement, per the official SSW support site. JFT-Basic is computer-based and designed for this route; JLPT N4 is the equivalent level on the traditional test.
- Do I also need a skill test?
- Yes. SSW (i) requires a sector-specific skill proficiency test in addition to the language test — one exam per field, many administered by Prometric. Check your sector's page for details.
- Which fields does SSW cover?
- Nineteen fields per the official list at ssw.go.jp — from nursing care, construction, and agriculture to food service and accommodation. The three newest (resource recycling, linen services, logistics warehouse) were approved in January 2026 and their tests are still being prepared.
- Are the SSW tests held in Nepal?
- It varies by test and year — some sector tests run only in Japan or in certain partner countries. Verify the current schedule for your sector on the official SSW and test administrator sites rather than relying on this page or any recruiter's claim.
- Is SSW connected to EPS Korea?
- No — they are separate systems run by different governments. But they reward the same preparation style: a defined language test plus verified documents, with no agent able to influence selection.
Put it on your CV
A skill only works once an employer can see it. These guides show exactly where it goes: