JPT Japanese Proficiency Test Recognised by Japan's Immigration Services Agency as Proof of Japanese Language Ability for Work Visa Applications
A score of 525 or above is deemed equivalent to CEFR B2 — on par with JLPT N2
The Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA), under the Ministry of Justice, has recently listed a JPT Japanese Proficiency Test score of 525 or above as one of the officially accepted means of demonstrating CEFR B2-equivalent Japanese language ability in applications for the status of residence "Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services" — Japan's principal work visa for white-collar professionals, commonly known as Gijinkoku.
Following its earlier recognition as proof of Japanese language ability for Japan's "Student" pathway, this marks the first time JPT has been officially recognised by the Japanese authorities within the work visa system.
Key Points of the New Rule
According to the ISA website, for "Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services" applications submitted on or after 15 April 2026, applicants who will primarily use their language skills in customer-facing or interpersonal work (official examples include translation and interpreting, as well as hotel front-desk and other reception duties), and whose employing organisation falls under ISA screening Category 3 or Category 4 (generally small and medium-sized enterprises, newly established companies, etc.), must submit documentation proving that their proficiency in the language used for their duties is equivalent to CEFR B2.
The ISA specifies that an applicant meeting any one of the following conditions is deemed to possess B2-equivalent Japanese ability:
|
Means of proof |
Requirement |
|
JPT Japanese Proficiency Test |
Score of 525 or above |
|
JLPT Japanese-Language Proficiency Test |
N2 or above |
|
BJT Business Japanese Proficiency Test |
Score of 400 or above |
|
EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students) — Japanese as a Foreign Language |
Score of 200 or above |
|
Other |
20 years or more of residence in Japan; graduation from a Japanese university, college of technology or professional training college; or completion of compulsory education in Japan followed by graduation from a Japanese senior high school |
The four tests above are listed on an equal footing. Under this system, a JPT score of 525 carries the same weight as JLPT N2.
Four Official Uses of JPT Scores in Japan
With this latest addition, JPT scores can now be used in the following four areas of assessment administered by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan:
|
Purpose |
JPT score |
Corresponding level |
|
Admission to a Japanese language institution (Japanese language school) |
315 or above |
A1 under the Reference Framework for Japanese Language Education |
|
Proof of A2-level attainment for Japanese language school course completers |
370 or above |
A2 under the Reference Framework for Japanese Language Education |
|
Admission to universities, graduate schools, junior colleges, colleges of technology and similar institutions |
525 or above |
Listed alongside JLPT N2 |
|
"Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services" work visa (new) |
525 or above |
CEFR B2 equivalent |
This means that from entering a Japanese language school, obtaining a Student visa and progressing to university, through to remaining in Japan for employment on a Gijinkoku visa after graduation, scores from a single test can support the entire pathway of studying and working in Japan.
What This Means for Candidates in Hong Kong and Macau
JPT is held once a month, with results released approximately two weeks after the test. Scores are reported on a scale of 10 to 990, with no pass/fail threshold. For job seekers who have already secured an offer from a Japanese employer and need to assemble their Certificate of Eligibility (COE) application documents within a short timeframe, JPT offers a far more flexible option than the JLPT, which is held only twice a year.
Important Notes
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Status of Residence: Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services"
https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/gijinkoku.html
About the JPT Japanese Proficiency Test
The JPT Japanese Proficiency Test is designed to objectively measure and evaluate test-takers' Japanese communication ability in everyday and business settings. First administered in Korea in 1985, the test has since been taken by more than one million candidates. In Japan, it is administered and operated by the Japanese Proficiency Test Administration Committee (a general incorporated association), and is currently used as an indicator of Japanese language ability by more than 600 universities, professional training colleges and Japanese language schools across Japan (as of April 2026).
