Nursing Care (Kaigo) SSW Skills Test
The Type 1 test for nursing care (介護, kaigo) has two parts taken together: a care skills test and a short care-Japanese test. The skills part can be taken in 13 languages.
Official name: Long-term Care Specified Skilled Worker Evaluation Test
Booking and test windows
- Booking
- 22 April 2026 – 5 March 2027
- Test days
- 27 April 2026 – 10 March 2027
Some countries open booking at a different local time or on a different day; the country table below shows the window that applies to each.
Test format
- Parts
- Care skills test (45 questions, 60 minutes) and care Japanese test (15 questions, 30 minutes)
- Languages
- Skills part: Japanese, English, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Thai, Burmese, Mongolian, Nepali, Khmer, Chinese, Uzbek, Bengali or Urdu. Japanese part: Japanese only
- Format
- Computer-based (CBT), with furigana on kanji
Why there are two parts
Nursing care is the one SSW field with its own extra Japanese requirement: on top of JFT-Basic or JLPT N4, you must pass the care-Japanese part, which checks the words and phrases used on a care floor. Practise care vocabulary alongside general JFT-Basic preparation.
Who can take it
- At least 17 years old on the test day (18 for Indonesian nationals).
- Japanese nationals cannot take it.
- You cannot retake a part you have passed. After a failed attempt, wait 45 days before taking the same part again, even in another language.
Where it is held and what it costs
| Country | Fee | Booking |
|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | BDT 1,600 | Open until 5 Mar 2027 |
| Cambodia | USD 13 | Open until 5 Mar 2027 |
| India | Net price: INR 1,200 Gross price: INR 1,416 | Open until 5 Mar 2027 |
| Indonesia | IDR 220,000 | Open until 5 Mar 2027 |
| Japan | JPY 2,000 | Open until 5 Mar 2027 |
| Mongolia | MNT 48,000 | Open until 5 Mar 2027 |
| Myanmar | USD 13 | Open until 5 Mar 2027 |
| Nepal | USD 15 | Open until 5 Mar 2027 |
| Pakistan | Net price: PKR 3,800 Gross price: PKR 4,408 | Open until 5 Mar 2027 |
| Philippines | PHP 770 | Open until 5 Mar 2027 |
| Sri Lanka | LKR 4,000 | Open until 5 Mar 2027 |
| Thailand | Net price: THB 450 | Open until 5 Mar 2027 |
| Uzbekistan | USD 13 | Open until 5 Mar 2027 |
| Vietnam | VND 379,500 | Open until 5 Mar 2027 |
Latest official notices
Published by the test organiser; titles may be machine-translated from Japanese.
- Regarding the impact of the PHP vulnerability on our services
- Changes to booking start rules in Myanmar Myanmar
- Changes to booking rules in Nepal Nepal
- Notice of change of Nepal Test Center name Nepal
- [Important] Items to bring On the test day Japan
- Notice Regarding Suspension of Exam Fee Payments via eWallet (Updated) Bangladesh
Prepare for both halves of SSW
SSW Type 1 needs this skills test and JFT-Basic (200 out of 250) or JLPT N4. JFT Guru has practice tests for this field as well as full JFT-Basic mock tests.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take the nursing care skills test in my own language?
The skills part is offered in 13 languages, including Nepali, Indonesian, Burmese, Bengali, Vietnamese and English. The care-Japanese part is only in Japanese.
Do I also need a Japanese test?
Yes. SSW Type 1 needs this skills test plus JFT-Basic (a score of 200 out of 250) or JLPT N4.
How long is the nursing care test?
About 90 minutes in total: 60 minutes for the skills part and 30 minutes for the Japanese part.
Format and eligibility checked 21 October 2026; fees and windows checked 24 October 2026. Official test page · Organiser. JFT Guru is an independent study platform and does not take bookings.