Your friend in Japan
Post a job

Sathi Japan · Guides

SSW visa requirements: an easy checklist

A simple checklist of what you need for an SSW (i) visa: age, passport, Japanese test, skills test, job offer, COE, visa and DoFE permit.

Updated: 2026-11-09

Use this page as your checklist. Tick each item as you finish it.

Quick answer

For SSW (i) you usually need:

  1. A skills test for your job field.
  2. A Japanese test: JFT-Basic, or JLPT N4 or higher.
  3. A job offer from a Japanese employer.

Then come the COE, the visa and (from Nepal) the labour permit.

Checklist

  • I am 18 or older.
  • I have a valid passport.
  • I passed a Japanese test (JFT-Basic or JLPT N4 or higher).
  • I passed the skills test for my job field.
  • I have a job offer and employment contract from a Japanese employer.
  • My employer applied for the Certificate of Eligibility (COE).
  • I got my visa.
  • From Nepal: I got the labour permit from the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE).
  • Health check: you may need one. Your employer will tell you.

Some jobs need more. Bus and taxi drivers and some railway jobs need JLPT N3. Nursing care also needs the Nursing Care Japanese Evaluation Test.

Which Japanese test should I take?

JFT-Basic JLPT N4
Format Computer-based test (CBT) Paper test
How often Many times a year; book a date online Usually July and December; check the dates for your city
Where Prometric test centres, including in Nepal Japan and many countries
Level About CEFR A2, Japanese for daily life and work N4 of five levels (N5 easiest, N1 hardest)

Not sure? Pick the one with a date and place that suit you. Both are accepted for SSW (i).

Exemptions

If you satisfactorily completed Technical Intern Training (ii):

  • You are usually exempt from the Japanese test, in any field.
  • You are exempt from the skills test only in a related field.

Common mistakes

  • Waiting for the test date before you start studying.
  • Forgetting that your field may need more (JLPT N3, or the nursing care test).
  • Letting your passport expire.
  • Paying an agent to “arrange” a test result. This is a scam.
  • Going to Japan on a tourist visa to work. Never do this.

Next steps

This guide is general information. Test rules and dates change; always check the official test websites.