JLPT (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test) is the standard Japanese certification, running from N5 (beginner) up to N1 (advanced). It tests vocabulary, grammar, reading and listening — but not speaking — and is held on fixed dates worldwide.
N3 is the usual benchmark for bilingual IT roles, with N2 preferred; N4 often suffices for Specified Skilled Worker routes. The N3 listening section is a known wall — native-speed audio against a still-growing vocabulary — so we train listening hard, not just kanji.
N5–N1. N3 for entry IT roles, N2 for mid-career, N4 for many SSW pathways.
It depends on the role. N3 is the usual entry benchmark for bilingual IT positions, with N2 preferred for mid-career and non-bilingual teams. For Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) routes, N4 often suffices.
No. The JLPT measures vocabulary, grammar, reading and listening — there is no speaking section. That is why we train conversation separately: clearing N3 and actually working in Japanese are not the same skill.
For most learners it is listening, especially at N3 — native-speed audio against a vocabulary that is still growing. We train listening hard from early on instead of over-focusing on kanji.
We'll be straight with you about the level and timeline your goal actually needs — then get you there.