JLPT Levels Explained: Which Japanese Level Do You Need for Which Job?
N1 to N5, and what each level realistically lets you do at work in Japan. Which level employers expect for arubaito, 特定技能, and office roles — and how to show conversational ability if you have no certificate.
The JLPT (日本語能力試験) is the certificate Japanese employers recognise most, and for a foreign applicant your Japanese level is often the second thing a manager checks, right after availability. Here is what each level means in practice and what jobs tend to expect.
The five levels at a glance
- N5 / N4 — basic. You can read hiragana/katakana and basic kanji and handle simple daily conversation. Enough for many entry-level arubaito where the work is visual and routine.
- N3 — intermediate. You can follow everyday conversation at natural speed and handle most customer-facing part-time work comfortably.
- N2 — upper-intermediate. The common bar for full-time office work and many 特定技能 and 正社員 roles. You can read newspapers and handle business situations.
- N1 — advanced. Near-fluent reading and comprehension; expected for specialised, professional, or highly client-facing roles.
What different jobs expect
- Arubaito (konbini, kitchen, warehouse): often N4–N3 is plenty; some accept N5 plus willingness to learn.
- Customer-facing part-time (cafe, retail, hotel): N3 and up is comfortable.
- 特定技能 / full-time service roles: typically N3–N2 depending on sector.
- Office / 正社員: N2 is the usual minimum, N1 for many professional roles.
No certificate? Say it the right way
Plenty of capable people speak daily-conversation Japanese but have never sat the JLPT. Silence on this point reads to employers as “cannot speak,” which is worse than the truth. State your conversational ability in plain terms instead:
- 日常会話レベル — can handle everyday conversation.
- ビジネスレベル — business-level.
- 簡単な会話ができます — can manage simple conversation.
- 学習中（現在N3を勉強中） — currently studying (e.g. for N3).
Where to put it on the resume
Write a JLPT pass in the licences/qualifications section as 「日本語能力試験N2 合格」, with the year. On a part-time resume, a clear Japanese-level line near the top carries real weight — the part-time template gives it a dedicated field. Even an in-progress level is worth stating; it signals momentum. To add yours, open the editor.